LAST UPDATED IN 16.02.2024
Lycophyta are a group of vascular plants, one of the oldest lineages of extant vascular plants; the group contains extinct plants that have been dated from the Silurian (ca. 425 M years ago); also were some of the dominating plant species of the Carboniferous period, and included the tree-like Lepidodendrales, some of which grew over 40m in height, although extant lycophytes are relatively small plants (Wikipedia). Via Home et al. (Freie University, Berlin), Lycophytes and Monilophytes are sucessive sisters of Gymnosperms and Angiosperms.
All data below follows the World Ferns website (SEE).
ISOETALES
A single family, Isoetaceae, and a single genus.
Isoetes L. ‣ 204 spp., subcosmopolitan. 37 in U.S.A., 32 in Brazil (24 endemics), 12 in Colombia and 8 in Mexico.
LYCOPODIALES
A single family, Lycopodiaceae (17/)492 spp. Largests diversities in New World are Colombia (8/94, 75 only in Phlegmariurus), Brazil (9/62), U.S.A. (8/23, c. 1/3 in Huperzia) and Mexico (6/23, 17 in Phlegmariurus).
Brazil leads Mexico in all mexican genera except tied status in Lycopodium (1 ✕ 1) and lose in Huperzia (2 ✕ 1). Brazil leads Colombia in all colombian genera except tied status in Lycopodiella (4 ✕ 4), Austrolycopodium (1 ✕ 1), Diphasium (1 ✕ 1), Lycopodium (1 ✕ 1) and lose in Palhinhaea (8 ✕ 6) and Phlegmariurus (75 ✕ 39).
SUBFAMILY LYCOPODIELLOOIDEAE (5/57)
Brownseya (Kunze) Li Bing Zhang, L.D.Sheph., D.K.Chen, X.M.Zhou & H.He (1, Australia, Papuasia, New Zealand, New Caledonia).
Lateristachys Holub. (3, Philippines, Australia, New Zealand).
Lycopodiella Holub. 12 spp., holarctic and tropical America, six in U.S.A., 4 in Colombia and 4 in Brazil, none in Mexico.
Palhinhaea Franco & Vasconcellos. 25 spp., pantropical, 8 in Colombia, six in Brazil, only one in Mexico and U.S.A.
Pseudolycopodiella Holub. 16 spp., widely scattered worldwide, 7 in Brazil, 3 in Colombia, two in U.S.A., only one in Mexico.
SUBFAMILY LYCOPODIOIDEAE (9/45)
Austrolycopodium Holub. 7 spp., temperate southern hemisphere, mostly circumantarctic, one to tropical Africa, Brazil and Colombia one each.
Dendrolycopodium Haines. 5 spp., North America (3 in U.S.A.) and E Asia.
Diphasiastrum Holub. 17 spp., temperate northern hemisphere, one in South Africa and Madagascar, two to tropical America; 5 in U.S.A., two in tropical America, D. thyoides (Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.) Holub widely from Mexico to Uruguay, except Chile and Caribbean, and D. falcatum B.Øllg. & P.G.Windisch endemic to SE Brazil
Diphasium Presl ex Rothmaler. 4 spp., D. jussiaei (Desv. ex Poir.) Rothm. in Costa Rica to Bolivia and Brazil, D. gayanum (J.Rémy) Holub in Chile and Argentina, D. lawessonianum (B.Øllg.) B.Øllg. endemic to Ecuador, and D. cariosum (G.Forst.) Rothm. from Philippines and Borneu to New Zealand.
Lycopodiastrum Holub ex Dixit. (1, Asia).
Lycopodium L. 7 spp., Mainly temperate and subarctic regions, three in New World, only continentaly confined to Canada and U.S.A., L. cernua L. widely in almost all New World, and L. vestitum Desv. ex Poir. from Peru and Ecuador, possibly in Venezuela.
Pseudodiphasium Holub. (1, Asia, Australia, New Zealand).
Pseudolycopodium Holub. (1, Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia).
Spinulum Haines. Two spp., S. lioui Li Bing Zhang & H.He (Russian Far East, China (inc. Taiwan), Mongolia; North Korea; South Korea; Japan) and S. annotinum (L.) A.Haines (over Europe, Caucasus, Turkyie, Kazakhstan, Alaska to S U.S.A.).
SUBFAMILY HUPERZIOIDEAE (3/370)
Huperzia Bernhardi. 62 spp., 7 in U.S.A., two in Mexico, one in Brazil, none in Colombia.
Phlegmariurus Holub. 307 spp., worldwide pantropical. 75 in Colombia, 39 in Brazil, 17 in Mexico and only one in U.S.A.
Phlegmariurus ruber (Cham. & Schlecht.) B.Øllg., endemic to ferruginous places in Minas Gerais state, SE Brazil |
Phylloglossum Kunze. (1, Australia and New Zealand).
SELAGINELLALES
A single family, Selaginellaceae (19/)770 spp., nine genera in New World. U.S.A includes 7 genera (one endemic; Lepidoselaginella, Valdespinoa and Selaginoides absents in Brazil), Mexico six (Didiclis and Lepidoselaginella absents in Brazil), Colombia six (Didiclis absent in Brazil) and Brazil includes only five (Gymnogynum, Bryodesma, Megaloselaginella, Pulviniella and Selaginella).
Largest diversities: Colombia (7/97), U.S.A. (6/36), Mexico (6/80) and Brazil (5/81).
Brazil and Colombia tied in Bryodesma, Megalosellaginella and Pulviniella. Brazil lose for Mexico in Bryodesma (21 ✕ 2) and Pulviniella (2 ✕ 1). Brazil lose for Colombia in Gymnogynum (24 ✕ 16) and Selaginella (67 ✕ 60).
SELAGINELLOIDEAE
Selaginoides Ség. Two sp., S. spinulosa (A.Braun ex Döll) Li Bing Zhang & X.M.Zhou from Artic to Nevada, Colorado, Maine, Mediterranean, Caucasus and souther Russia, also in Japan; and S. deflexa (Brack.) Li Bing Zhang & X.M.Zhou endemic to Hawaii.BOREOSELAGINELLOIDAE
Boreoselaginella (6, E Asia to Russia).
GYMNOGYNOIDEAE
Afroselaginella (4, endemic to Africa).
Megaloselaginella Li Bing Zhang & X.M.Zhou. Three spp., two from Costa Rica to N Brazil (one a venezuelan endemic, Colombia and Brazil one each), one in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.
Gymnogynum P.Beauv. 48 spp., mostly tropical America, 1 tropical Africa, 1 Asia; 24 in Colombia, 16 in Brazil, 7 in Mexico.
Ericetorum (8, Africa, Madagascar and Australia).
Lepidoselaginella Li Bing Zhang & X.M.Zhou. Three spp. from Mexico, L. lepidophylla (Hook. & Grev.) Li Bing Zhang & X.M.Zhou up to SW U.S.A. in north, and Costa Rica in south.
Bryodesma Soják. 56 spp., almost cosmopolitan, mostly in temperate areas, many in U.S.A. (27), 21 in Mexico, Colombia and Brazil two each.SINOSELAGINELLOIDEAE (absent in New World)
Austroselaginella (4, endemic to Australia).
Korallia (15, Madagascar and adjacent islands).
Sinoselaginella (5, China extending to the Arabic area and E Africa).
PULVINELLIOIDEAE
Pulviniella (Li Bing Zhang & X.M.Zhou) Li Bing Zhang & X.M.Zhou. 17 spp., scattered almost cosmopolitan, several in China, 3 in New World: P. convoluta (Arn.) Li Bing Zhang & X.M. Zhou from Mexico to Paraguay and Caribbean, P. gypsophila (A.R.Sm. & T. Reeves) Li Bing Zhang & X.M. Zhou (Mexico) and P. pilifera (A. Braun) Li Bing Zhang & X.M. Zhou (SW U.S.A. and NW Mexico).
LYCOPODIOIDOIDEAE (South American absent in Brazil)
Hypopterygiopsis (170, Asia and Pacific islands and a few in Africa and Madagascar).
Didiclis P.Beauv. 70 spp., Africa, Asia, and Australasia, only one in New World, D. hoffmannii (Hieron.) Li Bing Zhang & X.M. Zhou, from Mexico do Ecuador.
Lycopodioides (12, Eurasia).
Valdespinoa Li Bing Zhang & X.M.Zhou. Only one sp., endemic to NW U.S.A.SELAGINELLOIDEAE
Chuselaginella (70, Africa, Asia, Australia and southern Pacific islands).
Kungiselaginella (12, Asia).
Selaginella P.Beauv. 231 spp., New World, mostly tropical America, only very few tropical Africa; 67 in Colombia, 60 in Brazil, 45 in Mexico, and only 4 in U.S.A.
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| Simplified maximum likelihood phylogeny of Selaginellaceae based on plastid rbcL and five nuclear markers |