What is the Difference Between Lycopodium and Selaginella?

Lycopodium and Selaginella are both pteridophytes, primitive plants with adventitious roots, rhizophores, stems, and leaves. They belong to the same class, Lycopodiopsida, and reproduce through spore production. However, there are several differences between the two genera:

1. Spores: Lycopodium plants are homosporous, producing only one type of spores, while Selaginella plants are heterosporous, producing two distinct types of spores: microspores and megaspores.
2. Leaves: Lycopodium has needle-like leaves, while Selaginella has scale-like leaves.
3. Microphylls: In Lycopodium, the microphylls have a single unbranched vein, while in Selaginella, the microphylls have branched vascular strands.
4. Ligules: Selaginella plants have ligules, which are scale-like outgrowths, while Lycopodium lacks ligules.
5. Family: Lycopodium belongs to the Lycopodiaceae family and is a genus of club mosses, while Selaginella belongs to the Selaginellaceae family and is a genus of spike mosses.

In summary, Lycopodium and Selaginella are both pteridophytes with primitive plant bodies, but they differ in their spores, leaves, microphylls, and ligules.

Comparative Table: Lycopodium vs Selaginella

Lycopodium and Selaginella are both pteridophytes, primitive plants with adventitious roots, rhizophores, stems, and leaves. They belong to the same class, Lycopodiopsida, and reproduce through spores production. Here is a table highlighting the differences between Lycopodium and Selaginella:

Both Lycopodium and Selaginella are seedless vascular plants, belonging to the clade of Lycophyta and known as fern-allies. They are herbaceous plants with adventitious roots and show alternation of generations, with sporophytes being the dominant generation.