Aerolindigia M.Menzel
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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
Meteoriaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Genus Description - Plants slender, loosely spreading to pendent, subpinnately branched, green or yellowish. Stem and branch leaves similar, stiffly wide-spreading, lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, acuminate; margins sermlate all around; costa single, slender, 1/3-2/3 the leaf length; cells linear, firm-walled, smooth, not or scarcely differentiated at the basal angles. Autoicous. Perichaetial leaves erect, gradually narrowed to a long, sermlate acumen. Setae rather short, moderately papillose; capsules exserted, erect oriinclined; annulus differentiated; opercula long-rostrate; exostome teeth cross-striolate below, papillose above, trabeculate at back; endostome consisting of a rather low basal membrane and keeled, perforated segments. Calyptrae cucullate, naked.
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Discussion
The plants, somewhat resembling a slender Brachythecium, are pinnately branched with leaves rigidly wide-spreading and canaliculate-acuminate. The capsules are symmetric, though commonly inclined, and exserted on a rather short, rough seta, and the peristomes are hypnoid in character. The relationships of the genus are with the Brachytheciaceae rather than the Meteoriaceae, as clearly demonstrated by Menzel (1991) and also by Visnadi and Allen (1991).