Pilotrichidium

  • 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

    Pilotrichaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Pilotrichidium

  • Description

    Genus Description - Plants medium-sized to large, rigid, dull, dark green, yellow-green, or red-brown. Stems creeping to erect-ascending, irregularly to subpinnately branched. Stems showing in section a single layer of large, hyaline, thin-walled epidermal cells and no central strand; paraphyllia and pseudoparaphyllia none. Leaves erect-spreading and ± complanate when dry, oblong-ovate to oblong, truncate to broadly obtuse or long-acute, rounded to the insertion; margins entire, often erect or inflexed on 1 side below; costae double, strong, prominent at back and projecting at the tip, smooth, extending 3/4 or more the length ofthe leaf, sometimes convergent at the tips; cells firm-walled throughout, isodiametric to somewhat elongate above and occasionally indistinctly differentiated as a broad border of somewhat narrower and longer marginal cells, pluripapillose throughout or smooth below and minutely 1-3-papillose above. Dioicous. Setae elongate; capsules erect to horizontal or pendent; annulus present; operculum rostrate; exothecial cells thickened at the corners; exostome teeth red, densely cross-striolate, weakly to strongly furrowed; endostome segments broad, keeled, perforate, rising from a high basal membrane, cilia none. Spores smooth. Calyptrae lobed-mitrate, smooth, naked.

  • Discussion

    For further information on this genus, see Allen and Crosby (1986).