Selaginella siamensis

• Origin: Thailand
  
• Care: Easy / Medium / Advanced
• Suitable as a houseplant?: Yes / Limited / No
• Suitable locations: Terrarium
  
• Special features: Unusual growth form and very strong iridescence.

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In a revision by Zhou and Zang (2023), the large and highly diverse genus Selaginella was split into several genera. According to this revision, the new name for this plant is now Didiclis siamensis . We will continue to use the old name for the time being, until the new names are confirmed by other authors.

Selaginella siamensis originates from northern Thailand. It has an unusual growth form, very strong iridescence, and a pronounced seasonal life cycle.

It grows very similarly to Selaginella erythropus , with upright stems. However, these grow taller than those of S. erythropus , reaching up to approximately 25 cm. At their ends, the stems branch out in a strictly dichotomous fashion, resulting in an attractive symmetry. The leaves are a very strong iridescent blue to purple, significantly more so than in other Selaginella species such as S. uncinata .

As with other iridescent Selaginella, this color does not originate from iridoplasts (like those used in begonias) but from thin-film interference. This is why the blue color seemingly disappears when the leaves get wet. You can read more about the origin and function of iridescence in plants in this blog post .

Another special characteristic of Selaginella siamense is its seasonal life cycle. In its natural habitat, there is a rainy season and a dry season. At the end of the rainy season, (almost) all above-ground stems die back, and it survives the dry season as an underground rhizome. At the beginning of the next rainy season, it then forms new stems. This cycle should also be imitated in the terrarium, which unfortunately is not so easy. More information can be found in the "Care" tab.

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You will receive a fully rooted cutting in a 7cm pot.

Please note: The small twigs of this species break very easily. Even with very good packaging, some pieces will likely break off after shipping. Unfortunately, this cannot be prevented, but it doesn't significantly harm the plant. After an acclimatization period, this species continues to grow quite quickly. Such damage is not grounds for a complaint.