Selaginella leucobryoides may be one of the rarest species within the Tetragonostachys. Only S. utahensis and S. viridissima may be less common.
However, the rarity may only be a matter of encounter than of actual population. S. leucobryoides occurs in mountainous areas of the eastern Mojave Desert growing in thin soils in and around rock outcrops, probably in areas where the species may find some shade during part of the day. It appears to be reported only from scattered locations.
map with possible error in NW Nevada
The desolate and sparsely populated areas where the species occurs serve as a
natural barrier to knowledge of its actual range of occurrence. The seemingly disjunct collections of it would suggest that many more populations are spread out throughout the region of its overall occurrence.
Fortunately there are 3 excellent photographs of the species at CalPhoto
http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/im...0000+0212+2482
http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/im...0000+0212+2483
http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/im...0000+0212+2484