Knowra Selaginella Selaginella Selaginella is a genus of vascular plants called spikemosses, distinguished by small leaves and reproduction through spores. Its living species are lycophytes, not true mosses.
Lycophyte : A vascular plant lineage that includes clubmosses, spikemosses, and quillworts. Selaginella belongs to this ancient lineage of vascular plants.
Microspore : A small spore that develops into the male gametophyte in heterosporous plants. Selaginella microspores develop into male gametophytes.
Selaginella lepidophylla : A desiccation-tolerant spikemoss native to arid regions of the Americas. Its curling and revival after rehydration made it a well-known example of a resurrection plant.
Lycopodiopsida : The class of vascular plants comprising lycophytes, among the earliest-diverging living vascular lineages. Selaginella is one of the major living branches within this class.
Microphyll : A small leaf with a single unbranched vein, characteristic of lycophytes. Selaginella leaves are microphylls, unlike the more complex leaves of ferns and seed plants.
Megaspore : A large spore that develops into the female gametophyte in heterosporous plants. Its larger spores carry the female gametophyte within Selaginella's reproductive cycle.
Selaginella moellendorffii : A lycophyte species used as a model for studying the evolution of land plants. Its genome provides a reference for comparing lycophytes with other vascular plants.
Early vascular plant : An ancient land plant lineage that evolved specialized tissues for transporting water and nutrients. The lycophyte lineage represented by Selaginella arose early in vascular-plant evolution.
Vascular tissue : Plant tissue that transports water, minerals, and sugars through xylem and phloem. These tissues distinguish Selaginella from true mosses, which lack vascular systems.
Gametophyte : The haploid, gamete-producing phase in the life cycle of plants and some algae. Selaginella spores grow into gametophytes, which produce the sex cells needed for fertilization.
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