I've had luck growing it in a terrarium with moderate light. I also used distilled water but I don't know if that makes a difference. I also found that it helped to start new plants from fragments now and then, as the plants would tend to decline over time.

Here's a pic of one of the plants I had before it died from neglect.

{{gwi:614642}}

Hi Osanwo,

Most tropical selaginella are extremely susceptible to lack of moisture, and once they start deteriorating it does not seem to help if you increase watering.

Also most tropical selaginella are not too happy with wet conditions - soil and air must be constantly moist, but never wet!

I concur with the terrarium experience mentioned by lycopus. I've tried several different ways to grow Selaginella, and the one which I have in an almost air-tight container just grows so much that I have to cut it back regularly.

By the way; I noticed that you are Singapore based. If so,you just need to stick your head out of your apartment to experience the perfect growing conditions. I've seen Selainella grow as a weed many places in Singapore.

And if you haven't been there already (I guess you have...) make sure to pay a visit to the Cloud Forest in Gardens by the Bay - they really have Selaginella galore.

Selaginella apoda in Singapore?? How cool are your nights?
This is basically a cool growing species and even grows up into Canada in North America. I have grown, maybe still growing,this species outside with a 2 hour exposure to direct sunlight here in coastal California and it does well and reproduces. It does well with moderate humidity 70% or better but needs good air circulation. Growing medium must drain well and not get water logged. I have had it naturalized on a pot of sphagnum moss that sat in some water but the top of the sphagnum was well above the water table.
I believe the plant is simply exhausted from too much heat at night, it is like being forced to grow continuously but without adequate feeding the plant collapses. Use a dilute to 1/4 fish emulsion that is washed through the planting medium and then allowed to completely drain out then spraying down the plant with distilled water. You must used distilled or reverse osmosis water for this plant.

Here is a link that might be useful: Selaginella apoda on sphagnum