In order to know the type of uses that human communities of Quibdó, Guayabal Tutunendo give to Selaginella willdenowii (carpintero), as well as to determine the secondary metabolites present in this plant we conducted anethnobotanical and a phytochemical study.Etnobotanical information was obtained through semistructured interviews among analyzed human communities.Phytochemical analyses include a qualitative phytochemical march and chromatographic analyses conducted at the University of Antioquia, with the support of the Research Group on Plant Chemistry of Colombia).From an ethnobotanical standpoint, our results showed that the carpintero has three categories of use in the surveyed human communities: medicinal, magical-religious and ornamental.Our phytochemical results showed that this plant species has higher concentrations of triterpenoids and steroids, followed by flavonoids, and a lesser amount of alkaloids.The presence of these compounds in S. willdenowii suggests antimicrobial anticancer, cardiotonic, analgesic qualities we associate with the medicinal use that human communities give to this species in the study area.