Bryoceuthospora

• Authority

  Sharp, Aaron J., et al. 1994. The Moss Flora of Mexico. Part One: Sphagnales to Bryales. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 69 (1): 1-452.

• Family

  Ephemeraceae

• Scientific Name

  Bryoceuthospora

• Description

  Species Description - Plants very small, growing from an abundant protonema. Stems simple, rounded in section, consisting of uniform (epidermis, cortex and central strand not differentiated); axillary hairs consisting of 4 uniseriate cells, hyaline except for the shorter, yellowish basal cells. Leaves few, larger and crowded above, plane to broadly concave, oblong-lanceolate to long-lingulate, acute, scarcely differentiated at base; margins plane to broadly incurved, undulate, irregularly dentate to serrulate in the upper half; costa strong, ending 2-4 cells below the apex, with 2 stereid bands and 2-4 guide cells in 1 layer; upper cells unipapillose; lower cells differentiated across the leaf base. Dioicous. Perichaetia terminal, the inner bracts little differentiated. Setae very short, yellow-green; capsules globose, conic-apiculate, lacking an operculum, peristome, and columella; exothecial cells smooth or somewhat protuberant because of central lens-like thickenings. Calyptrae covering 1/3-1/2 the capsule, campanulate, 4-5-lobed, with cells mammillose-bulging (especially on the lobes).

• Discussion

  This genus shows some similarity (and perhaps close relationship) to Trachycarpidium Broth, (of Africa, Austraha, New Caledonia, and N e w Guinea) in having slight protuberances on exothecial cells and mammillose-bulging cells of the calyptra. The genus much resembles Ephemerum in growth form, size, appearance, and structural details of gametophyte and sporophyte, but the costa shows two stereid bands, as in the Trichostomeae, and the leaf cells are short and unipapillose on both surfaces, as in many of the Pottiaceae.