Lycopodium yemense Swartz
Selaginella somaliensis Bak.
Selaginella arabica Bak.
Lycopodioides somaliense (Bak.) Kuntze
Lycopodium sanguinolentum Forssk., non L.

Plant prostrate sometimes mat-forming, with wiry creeping stems and rhizophores from lower parts; branches mostly short and suberect, recurved at tips when dry. Leaves dimorphic, slightly fleshy, with white margins; lateral leaves oblong-elliptic in outline, apex rounded to slightly aristate, margin ciliate, 1.3–3 x 0.4–1.25 mm; median leaves obliquely ovate in outline, more spreading, shortly ciliate all round, scarcely to strongly aristate, smaller, 1–2 x 0.5–1 mm; all leaves obliquely oblong near point of attachment. Strobili (2–)2.5–4 mm long; sporophylls ± dimorphic with white margin, the larger ovate-triangular, convex-plicate, 1.5–1.6 mm long, 1–1.2 mm wide, ciliate on both sides and sometimes puberulous on outer surface, acuminate and shortly aristate at the apex, narrowed to slightly emarginate base; smaller obliquely narrowly triangular ovate, ± 1 mm long, 0.5 mm wide, ± convex, ciliate aristate.

yemensis: from Yemen, where this plant was first discovered.

Crevices in bare rock in Commiphora-Acacia-Sterculia etc. woodland, steep limestone valleys.

See African distribution.

Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia.

Lithophytic, terrestrial.