Claopodium

  • 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

    Claopodium

  • Description

    Genus Description - Plants slender to moderately robust, in thin, dark- to light-green, yellowish, or brownish mats. Stems creeping, irregularly to pinnately branched; paraphyllia usually present but few, scale-like, rarely branched. Stem and branch leaves ± uniform, usually somewhat concave, incurved when dry, ± spreading when moist. Stem leaves gradually or abruptly acuminate and sometimes hair-pointed, from an ovate base; margins usually plane, often toothed above; costa single, mostly ending below the apex, pellucid; cells small, rounded-angular or hexagonal to oblong or rhombic (longer near costa at base), unipapillose to pluripapillose, often smooth and ± elongate in a marginal row. Branch leaves more crowded, with shorter acumina. Dioicous. Perichaetial leaves erect, pale, gradually or abruptly long-acuminate from an oblong- or oblong-lanceolate base, entire or serrulate above; costa slender; cells elongate and smooth. Setae elongate, slender, reddish, smooth or rough; capsules inclined to horizontal, asymmetric, sometimes slightly curved, oblong-oval, short-necked, brown; annulus deciduous; operculum high-conic to rostrate; exostome teeth yellow, cross-striolate, bordered, trabeculate at back; endostome smooth or finely papillose, consisting of a high basal membrane, keeled and perforate segments, and nodose cilia in groups of 1-3, usually well developed. Spores small, smooth.

  • Discussion

    Buck and Crum (1990) tentatively referred Claopodium to the Leskeaceae. The genus has much the same aspect as Thuidium and, hke that genus, a perfect, hypnoid peristome, but it is scarcely in close relationship with Thuidium or even the Thuidiaceae. Claopodium differs from Thuidium in having similar stem and branch leaves, non-papillose apical cells of branch leaves, and few or no paraphyllia (that are non-papillose).