''Selaginella lepidophylla'' (syn. ''

Lycopodium ''Lycopodium'' (from Greek ''lykos'', wolf and ''podion'', diminutive of ''pous'', foot) is a genus of clubmosses, also known as ground pines or creeping cedars, in the family Lycopodiaceae. Two very different circumscriptions of the genus are i ...

lepidophyllum'') is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

desert A desert is a barren area of landscape where little precipitation occurs and, consequently, living conditions are hostile for plant and animal life. The lack of vegetation exposes the unprotected surface of the ground to denudation. About on ...

plant in the

spikemoss ''Selaginella'' is the sole genus of vascular plants in the family Selaginellaceae, the spikemosses or lesser clubmosses. This family is distinguished from Lycopodiaceae (the clubmosses) by having scale-leaves bearing a ligule and by having ...

family (

Selaginellaceae ''Selaginella'' is the sole genus of vascular plants in the family Selaginellaceae, the spikemosses or lesser clubmosses. This family is distinguished from Lycopodiaceae The Lycopodiaceae (class Lycopodiopsida, order Lycopodiales) are an o ...

). Known as a "

resurrection plant A resurrection plant is any poikilohydric plant that can survive extreme dehydration, even over months or years. Examples include: * ''Anastatica hierochuntica'', also known as the Rose of Jericho, a plant species native to deserts of North Africa ...

", ''S. lepidophylla'' is renowned for its ability to survive almost complete

desiccation Desiccation () is the state of extreme dryness, or the process of extreme drying. A desiccant is a hygroscopic (attracts and holds water) substance that induces or sustains such a state in its local vicinity in a moderately sealed container. ...

. During dry weather in its native habitat, its stems curl into a tight ball, uncurling only when exposed to moisture. The outer stems of the plant bend into circular rings after a relatively short period without water. The inner stems instead curl slowly into spirals in response to desiccation, due to the action of the

strain Strain may refer to: Science and technology * Strain (biology), variants of plants, viruses or bacteria; or an inbred animal used for experimental purposes * Strain (chemistry), a chemical stress of a molecule * Strain (injury), an injury to a mu ...

gradient along their length. ''Selaginella lepidophylla'' reaches a maximum height of 5 cm, and is native to the

Chihuahuan Desert The Chihuahuan Desert ( es, Desierto de Chihuahua, ) is a desert ecoregion designation covering parts of northern Mexico and the southwestern United States. It occupies much of far West Texas, the middle to lower Rio Grande Valley and the lower P ...

Names

Common name In biology, a common name of a taxon or organism (also known as a vernacular name, English name, colloquial name, country name, popular name, or farmer's name) is a name that is based on the normal language of everyday life; and is often contrast ...

s for this plant include flower of stone, false rose of Jericho, rose of Jericho, resurrection plant, resurrection moss, dinosaur plant, ''siempre viva'', stone flower, and ''doradilla''. ''Selaginella lepidophylla'' is not to be confused with ''

Anastatica hierochuntica ''Anastatica'' is a monotypic genus of plants in the family ''Brassicaceae'' containing the single species ''Anastatica hierochuntica''. The plant is a small gray annual herb that rarely grows above high, and bears minute white flowers. It is a ...

'' a flowering plant in the mustard family,

Brassicaceae Brassicaceae () or (the older) Cruciferae () is a medium-sized and economically important family of flowering plants commonly known as the mustards, the crucifers, or the cabbage family. Most are herbaceous plants, while some are shrubs. The le ...

, known as the true Rose of Jericho. ''Selaginella lepidophylla'' is a true

that can revive and regain metabolic function after a period of extreme desiccation. ''

'' is not a resurrection plant, but rather a

tumbleweed A tumbleweed is a structural part of the above-ground anatomy of a number of species of plants. It is a diaspore that, once mature and dry, detaches from its root or stem and rolls due to the force of the wind. In most such species, the tumble ...

capable of repeated hygroscopic expansion and retraction, which superficially resembles revival.

Description

The striking feature of ''Selaginella lepidophylla'' is its adaptation to conditions of prolonged drought in its natural environment. It deploys the physiological strategy of drying up and rolling inwards in the absence of water to form a ball, and can survive for up to several years, and lose up to 95% of its moisture content, without suffering damage. When ground and air humidity begin to rise again, even a considerable time after it has wilted, the plant "resuscitates". If rehydrated, it continues its life cycle, fully recovering its

photosynthesis Photosynthesis is a process used by plants and other organisms to convert light energy into chemical energy that, through cellular respiration, can later be released to fuel the organism's activities. Some of this chemical energy is stored i ...

and growth abilities. When desiccated, its rooted leaves become leathery at the base, appearing dark brown or light to reddish brown. The dry ball opens a few hours after being placed in contact with water, the parched leaves gradually resuming their green colour. If the roots are not too damaged, the plant may survive in pozzolanic ash. No matter how dried or damaged it becomes, because of the particular biological structure of its leaves the plant retains the ability to imbibe water and unfold itself, even many years after its death. The plant enters a dormant state in the absence of water, avoiding tissue and cell damage during drying by synthesizing

trehalose Trehalose (from Turkish '' tıgala'' – a sugar derived from insect cocoons + -ose) is a sugar consisting of two molecules of glucose. It is also known as mycose or tremalose. Some bacteria, fungi, plants and invertebrate animals synthesize it ...

, a crystallized sugar that acts as a

compatible solute Osmoprotectants or compatible solutes are small organic molecules with neutral charge and low toxicity at high concentrations that act as osmolytes and help organisms survive extreme osmotic stress. Osmoprotectants can be placed in three chemical ...

. Dissolved salts become concentrated in the plant tissues as water evaporates. The trehalose produced by the plant acts in place of the evaporating water, so preventing the salts from causing damage and protecting against death due to an excess of

salinity Salinity () is the saltiness or amount of salt dissolved in a body of water, called saline water (see also soil salinity). It is usually measured in g/L or g/kg (grams of salt per liter/kilogram of water; the latter is dimensionless and equal ...

. ''S. lepidophylla'' also uses

betaines A betaine () in chemistry is any neutral chemical compound with a positively charged cationic functional group, such as a quaternary ammonium or phosphonium cation (generally: onium ions) that bears no hydrogen atom and with a negatively charged f ...

, substances which have the same function as trehalose. Once water is restored to the plant tissues, the sugar crystals dissolve and the plant's metabolism, until then paralyzed, reactivates. Leaves that seemed dead turn green, and open.

Lifestyle

Desert conditions

Adapted to the desert environment, ''Selaginella lepidophylla'' can survive without water for several years, drying up until it retains only 3% of its mass. The plant can live and

reproduce Reproduction (or procreation or breeding) is the biological process by which new individual organisms – "offspring" – are produced from their "parent" or parents. Reproduction is a fundamental feature of all known life; each individual org ...

arid A region is arid when it severely lacks available water, to the extent of hindering or preventing the growth and development of plant and animal life. Regions with arid climates tend to lack vegetation and are called xeric or desertic. Most ar ...

regions for long periods of time. When living conditions become too difficult, the plant's

survival mechanism Anti-predator adaptations are mechanisms developed through evolution that assist prey organisms in their constant struggle against predators. Throughout the animal kingdom, adaptations have evolved for every stage of this struggle, namely by avo ...

allows it to dry out gradually. Its leaves turn brown and fold in, giving the plant the appearance of a ball. In dormancy, all of its

metabolic Metabolism (, from el, μεταβολή ''metabolē'', "change") is the set of life-sustaining chemical reactions in organisms. The three main functions of metabolism are: the conversion of the energy in food to energy available to run cell ...

functions are reduced to a minimum.

Prolonged drought

Where drought persists, the roots may detach, allowing the plant to be carried by the wind. If it encounters moisture, ''Selaginella lepidophylla'' may rehydrate and take root in the new location. Plants that go through the resurrection process are not always able to "rise again". If dehydration has been too rapid, or in the event of irregular alternation of drought and wet conditions, the plant has insufficient time to prepare properly to resist the water stress to which it is subjected. Likewise, the ability to dry up and rehydrate may diminish, in which case, after dozens of cycles of alternate desiccation and regrowth, the plant dies. As a

sporophyte A sporophyte () is the diploid multicellular stage in the life cycle of a plant or alga which produces asexual spores. This stage alternates with a multicellular haploid gametophyte phase. Life cycle The sporophyte develops from the zygote pr ...

, ''S. lepidophylla'' does not produce flowers or seeds but reproduces through

spores In biology, a spore is a unit of sexual or asexual reproduction that may be adapted for dispersal and for survival, often for extended periods of time, in unfavourable conditions. Spores form part of the life cycles of many plants, algae, f ...

. ''Selaginella'' are neither

aquatic plant Aquatic plants are plants that have adapted to living in aquatic environments (saltwater or freshwater). They are also referred to as hydrophytes or macrophytes to distinguish them from algae and other microphytes. A macrophyte is a plant that ...

s nor epiphytic plants.

Uses

''Selaginella lepidophylla'' is sold as a

novelty item A novelty item or simply novelty is an object which is specifically designed to serve no practical purpose, and is sold for its uniqueness, humor, or simply as something new (hence "novelty", or newness). The term also applies to practical items wi ...

, as

bare root Bare root is a technique of arboriculture whereby a plant is removed from soil in a dormant state, from which it can more rapidly acclimate to new soil conditions. Bare root stock should be planted within 48 hours of receipt for optimal results. E ...

stock in its dry state, in which it may be revived with only a little water. page 505-506 The plant's ability to survive extreme desiccation was noted by Spanish missionaries when they reached the New World, including the area that was to become the United States. The missionaries used ''S. lepidophylla'' to demonstrate to potential native converts the concept of being reborn and convince them to abandon their native religious beliefs and traditions. Because of its properties, the false rose of Jericho was considered a lucky charm, and was passed on in families from generation to generation. ''Selaginella lepidophylla'' has been used as a

herbal medicine Herbal medicine (also herbalism) is the study of pharmacognosy and the use of medicinal plants, which are a basis of traditional medicine. With worldwide research into pharmacology, some herbal medicines have been translated into modern remed ...

. An infusion is made by steeping a tablespoon of dried material in hot water, and the resulting tea is used to treat colds and

sore throat Sore throat, also known as throat pain, is pain or irritation of the throat. Usually, causes of sore throat include * viral infections * group A streptococcal infection (GAS) bacterial infection * pharyngitis (inflammation of the throat) * tonsi ...

. In Mexico, ''S. lepidophylla'' is sold as a

diuretic A diuretic () is any substance that promotes diuresis, the increased production of urine. This includes forced diuresis. A diuretic tablet is sometimes colloquially called a water tablet. There are several categories of diuretics. All diuretics in ...

. Women drink the water in which the plant is soaked to facilitate

childbirth Childbirth, also known as labour and delivery, is the ending of pregnancy where one or more babies exits the internal environment of the mother via vaginal delivery or caesarean section. In 2019, there were about 140.11 million births globall ...

. The speed at which the plant blossoms in the water is interpreted as an indication of whether the delivery will be easy or difficult. The plant is also used in the rites of

voodoo Voodoo may refer to: Religions * African or West African Vodun, practiced by Gbe-speaking ethnic groups * African diaspora religions, a list of related religions sometimes called Vodou/Voodoo ** Candomblé Jejé, also known as Brazilian Vodu ...

and Cuban ''

santería Santería (), also known as Regla de Ocha, Regla Lucumí, or Lucumí, is an African diaspora religions, African diasporic religion that developed in Cuba during the late 19th century. It arose through a process of syncretism between the tradit ...

'' to invoke love and fortune. The plant is said to absorb "negative energy" when worn on the body.Curtin, L.S.M. and M. Moore. 1997. Healing Herbs of the Upper Rio Grande. Western Edge Press, Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Gallery

File:Rose_von_jericho.jpg, A "revived" plant File:Unechte_rose_von_jericho_animation.gif, Time lapse of plant uncurling after submersion in water File:Selaginella_lepidophylla_trocken.jpeg, Dried and curled up File:Rose of Jericho.gif, ''Selaginella lepidophylla'' reviving within 3 hours after the addition of water.

References

*Schenck, George. 1997. ''Moss Gardening.'' Portland: Timber Press

External links

*
''Selaginella lepidophylla''
www.eFloras.org {{DEFAULTSORT:Selaginella Lepidophylla lepidophylla Flora of North America Medicinal plants Tumbleweeds