Lycopodium cancellatum Spring, Mém. Acad. Roy. Sci. Belgique 24: 27. 1849; Huperzia cancellata (Spring) Trevisan; Phlegmariurus cancellatus var. minor Ching; Urostachys cancellatus (Spring) Herter ex Nessel.

Lycophytes, medium-sized. Stems caespitose, mature branches pendulous, 1 to several times forked, 31-49 cm, branches slightly robust, stem together with leaves cordlike, tertiary branches with leaves more than 2.5 mm in diam., lateral branches unequal. Leaves twisted and forming 2 rows. Trophophylls dense, those of upper middle portion of plant lanceolate, less than 5 mm, ca. 3 mm wide, adnate to branches, much incurved, lustrous, base cuneate, decurrent, sessile, midrib indistinct, raised abaxially, hard, margin entire, apex acuminate. Strobili terminal on branches, 1.5-2.3 mm in diam. Sporophylls ovate, base cuneate, midrib indistinct, margin entire, apex acute, with mucro. Sporangia exposed to outside of sporophylls, yellowish, reniform, vertically bisected.

Phlegmariurus cancellatus is similar to P. fargesii, but its lateral branches are unequal in length and its sporophylls are only ovate.

Epiphytic on tree trunks in forests; 1800-2300 m. Xizang [Bhutan, India].