Leskea

• 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

  Leskeaceae

• Scientific Name

  Leskea

• Description

  Genus Description - Rather small plants in dull, dark-green or brownish mats. Stems freely to subpinnately branched; branches horizontal ascending; paraphylha few, linear-lanceolate. Stem and branch leaves not much differentiated. Leaves erect or somewhat incurved when dry, erect-spreading or spreading when moist, somewhat asymmetric, oblong-ovate to ovate-lanceolate, sometimes biphcate at base; margins plane or ± recurved below, entire or subserrulate above; costa subpercurrent or ending somewhat below the apex, often flexuose-curved above; upper cells small, irregularly quadrate-hexagonal, thick-walled, obscure, ± unipapillose at back or on both surfaces (rarely prorulose on the upper surface); lower cells somewhat longer, those toward the margins subquadrate. Autoicous. Perichaetial leaves elongate, erect, pale-brown, acuminate. Capsules symmetric or somewhat curved, cylindric or oblong-cylindric; annulus narrow or lacking; operculum bluntly conic; exostome teeth incurved when dry, linear-lanceolate, whitish or yellow, densely papillose throughout or, more often, cross-striolate near the base; endostome erect wet or dry, pale, papillose, consisting of a low basal membrane, long, linear, somewhat keeled, perforate segments (sometimes rudimentary), and cilia none or rudimentary. Calyptrae smooth, naked.