Pseudoleskea
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Authority
Sharp, Aaron J., et al. 1994. The Moss Flora of Mexico. Part Two: Orthotrichales to Polytrichales. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 69 (2)
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Family
Leskeaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Genus Description - Plants rather slender to moderately robust, in loose or dense, rigid, dull, green to yellowish, golden, or brown creeping, irregularly to subpinnately branched; branches often ± curved at the tips, erect or spreading, unequal; paraphyllia often present and ± numerous, linear or lanceolate. Stem leaves somewhat larger than branch leaves but otherwise similar. Branch leaves erect and often somewhat falcate-tipped when dry, erect-spreading when moist, gradually or abruptly acuminate from an ovate or ovate-lanceolate base, usually obscurely biphcate, somewhat decurrent; margins usually recurved below or nearly throughout, mostly serrulate toward the apex; costa strong, ending somewhat below the apex, often serrulate at back above; upper cells isodiametric or shortly oblong, firm- or thick-walled, smooth or unipapillose, the papillae central or formed by projecting upper ends; basal cells short or somewhat elongate within, subquadrate at the margins. Dioicous. Perichaetial leaves acuminate from an erect base, costate, with elongate cells. Setae dark-red; capsules ± inclined and asymmetric, usually curved, oblong-cylindric, contracted below the mouth when dry, red-brown; annulus not or ± differentiated; operculum conic; exostome teeth brown or yellow-brown, cross-striolate below; endostome consisting of a high basal membrane, well-developed segments, and cilia none, short and rudimentary or rarely well developed. Spores finely papillose. Calyptrae naked.
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Discussion
Although we allow reduction from the hypnoid type of peristome within the Leskeaceae, we find the peristome, in this case hypnoid, useful at the generic level and, for that reason, prefer to keep Pseudoleskea arizonae separate from Lescuraea. Wilson and Norris (1989) have presented a different view.