Desmatodon

• Authority

  Sharp, Aaron J., et al. 1994. The Moss Flora of Mexico. Part One: Sphagnales to Bryales. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 69 (1): 1-452.

• Family

  Pottiaceae

• Scientific Name

  Desmatodon

• Description

  Genus Description - Plants small, forming turfs. Leaves oblong to lingulate or spatulate, occasionally ovate-lanceolate, rounded to broadly acute at the apex; margins usually recurved, occasionally bistratose, the cells occasionally differentiated as a border; costa percurrent to short- or long-excurrent, with 1 stereid band; basal cells rectangular, thin-walled. Dioicous or monoicous. Perichaetia terminal, with leaves little differentiated. Setae elongate; capsules erect, inclined or horizontal, occasionally nodding, ovoid to cylindric; operculum conic to rostrate; peristome teeth 16 and variously cleft or 32 and occasionally weakly twisted, with a low basal membrane, or occasionally the peristome absent or rudimentary. Calyptrae cucullate.

• Discussion

  Desmatodon is separated from Tortula on the basis of rather unsatisfactory sporophytic characters. Some species of Tortula have peristomes with a reduced basal membrane, as in Desmatodon. The gametophytes of Desmatodon guepinii and Phascum cuspidatum are much the same, whereas those of D. convolutus are quite dissimilar.