Selaginella qingchengshanensis (sect. Heterostachys; Selaginellaceae), a new species from Sichuan, China Author He, Meng 0000-0002-7609-6251 School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650091 Yunnan, China & hemeng 968 @ 163. com; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0002 - 7609 - 6251 Author He, Zhao-Rong 0000-0001-6492-3689 School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, East Outer Ring Road, Chenggong District, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China & zhrhe @ ynu. edu. cn; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0001 - 6492 - 3689 zhrhe@ynu.edu.cn Author Zhang, Li-Bing 0000-0002-4905-040X Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Blvd., St. Louis, Missouri 63110, U. S. A; Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences & Libing. Zhang @ mobot. org; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0002 - 4905 - 040 X hang@mobot.org Author Zhou, Xin-Mao 0000-0003-3555-7784 School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650091 Yunnan, China & xinmao. zhou @ ynu. edu. cn; http: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0003 - 3555 - 7784 xinmao.zhou@ynu.edu.cn text Phytotaxa 2021 2021-10-13 522 4 285 293 http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.522.4.2 journal article 4067 10.11646/phytotaxa.522.4.2 0e37c39e-2994-495d-9960-0cc7e8df1122 1179-3163 5565838 Selaginella qingchengshanensis Li Bing Zhang & X.M. Zhou , sp. nov. Type:— CHINA . Sichuan : Dujiangyan City , Qingcheng Mountain , Qingchengshan Town , Wudongtian , elev. 960 m , 103.568461E , 30.907873N , 23 August 2020 , in humid place in evergreen broadleaf forest, Z .- L Liang & X. Pu 085 ( holotype PYU !) . Diagnosis:— Selaginella qingchengshanensis is similar to S. amblyphylla Alston (1934: 287) in having plants creeping to suberect and the apex of dorsal leaves long aristate, but the new species has axillary leaves ovate-triangular to broadly ovate ( Fig. 1H ; vs. ovatelanceolate or triangular-lanceolate in S. amblyphylla ), sterile leaf margins denticulate to slightly ciliolate at base ( Fig. 1G–I ; vs. longciliate at base in S. amblyphylla ), and arista of dorsal leaves nearly perpendicular to stems and branches in living plants ( Fig. 1L ; vs. parallel to stems and branches in S. amblyphylla ). Plants terrestrial, creeping to suberect, 6–20 cm ( Fig. 1A , 3F ). Rhizophores restricted to lower part of stem, born on ventral side in axils of main branches, glabrous, 0.5–4.5 cm long ( Fig. 3F ). Main stems with one flat vascular bundle, stramineous, branched from near base, 2 to 3 times pinnately branched, branches many, ultimate branches 3.3–5.0 mm wide ( Fig. 3A–F ). Leaves herbaceous. Ventral leaves on branches contiguous, slightly ascending, asymmetrical, those on main stems slightly larger than those on branches; oblong or oblong-ovate, 2.3–3.2 × 1.1–1.5 mm , apex obtuse to round; acroscopic base rounded, slightly enlarged, overlapping stem and branches, margin denticulate to slightly ciliolate; basiscopic base rounded, margin entire or minutely denticulate ( Fig. 1G ; 3C, E ). Dorsal leaves asymmetrical, those on main stems more sparse than those on branches, ovate or ovate-lanceolate, 1.8–2.9 × 0.8–0.95 mm , slightly carinate, base round obliquely attenuate, apex aristate (arista as long as the leaves), reflexed, but perpendicular to axis in living plants, margin denticulate to slightly ciliolate ( Fig. 1I , 3D ). Axillary leaves symmetrical, those on main stem not obviously larger than those on branches, ovate-triangular or broadly ovate, 1.5–2.2 × 1.0– 1.65 mm , base exauriculate, margin denticulate to shortly ciliolate, apex obtuse or slightly acute ( Fig. 1H , 3C ). Strobili solitary, terminal, compact, dorsiventrally complanate, resupinate, 3.7–5.6 × 1.4–2.7 mm ( Fig. 1B , 3A–B ); sporophylls dimorphic, not whitemargined; dorsal sporophylls ovate-lanceolate, with sporophyll-pteryx nearly complete and ciliolate, margin ciliolate, apex acute to acuminate ( Fig. 1E ); ventral sporophylls ovate, carinate, margin denticulate to ciliolate, apex aristate ( Fig. 1F ); megasporophylls distributed at the base of strobili, not intersect with microsporophylls. Megaspores white, oblate spheroid to subglobose; prominent laesurae extend 2/3 of the distance to the equator; proximal surfaces densely papillate or verrucate; distal surfaces papillate, vermiculate, or verrucate, surfaces densely covered with fine spines ( Fig. 1M–O ). Microspores yellowish orange, spherical tetrahedral; laesurae nearly extend to the equator; both proximal and laesurae surfaces with low fused tuberculate, densely covered with fine spines ( Fig. 1J–K ). FIGURE 1. Selaginella qingchengshanensis .—A. Habit.—B. Ventral view of strobili on branch.—C. Dorsal view of branches.—D. Ventral view of branches.—E. Dorsal sporophyll.—F. Ventral sporophyll.—G. Ventral leaf.—H. Axillary leaf.—I. Dorsal leaf.—J. Proximal surface of microspore.—K. Distal surface of microspore.—L. Portion of branch, showing the upturned dorsal leaves.—M. Proximal surface of megaspore.—N. Distal surface of megaspore.—O. Detail of megaspore on distal surface. Etymology:— The specific epithet refers to the type locality in Qingcheng Mountain, Sichuan Province , China . Chinese name: Ḧ城山卷柏 (qing cheng shan juan bai). Distribution and habitat:— Known only from the type locality in Qingcheng Mountain, Dujiangyan City, Sichuan province , China , at 850–1050 m . This species grows in humid places in evergreen broadleaved forests. It is common on the roadside of tourist trails on Qingcheng Mountain. Conservation status:— Selaginella qingchengshanensis is only known from Qingcheng Mountain, but it has relatively wide distribution there. We consider it to be Near Threatened (NT) based on the IUCN red list criterion ( IUCN 2017 ). Additional specimens examined ( paratypes ):— CHINA . Sichuan Province : Qingcheng Mountain , X. - F . Ga o et al. DJY04053, DJY06425 ( CDBI ); 23 August 2019 , Z .- L . Liang & X. Pu 056, 078, 097 ( PYU ) .