Meteorium

• Authority

  Sharp, Aaron J., et al. 1994. The Moss Flora of Mexico. Part Two: Orthotrichales to Polytrichales. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 69 (2)

• Family

  Meteoriaceae

• Scientific Name

  Meteorium

• Description

  Genus Description - Plants robust, dull or shiny, pale green, brown, or blackish, loosely subpinnate, pendent. Leaves spirally arranged, intricate to spreading, very concave, usually plicate, oblong or oblong-ovate from an auriculate base, abruptly apiculate to long-acuminate or hair-pointed; costa single, slender, ending above the midleaf; cells long-rhomboidal to linear, papillose, those at the base shorter, broader and often pitted, elongate and diagonally seriate at the basal angles. Dioicous. Perichaetial leaves lanceolate, gradually long-acuminate. Setae short, rough; capsules exserted, oblong-cylindric or oblong-ovoid; annulus none or narrow; exostome teeth and endostome segments papillose. Calyptrae cucullate, hairy.

• Discussion

  Generic meaning is imparted by distinctly concave, oblong-ovate leaves, auriculate at base and apiculate to piliform at the apex, with a single costa, and long, narrow, sparsely papillose cells. Papillaria has less concave leaves and cells with more numerous papillae.