Prionodon

• 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

  Prionodontaceae

• Scientific Name

  Prionodon Müll.Hal.

• Description

  Genus Description - Coarse, yellow, golden-brown, or green plants. Secondary stems arcuate or pendulous, elongate, terete-foliate, unbranched or ± pinnate- or (rarely) subflabellate-branched. Leaves lanceolate from an ovate base, occasionally subulate, the tips of older leaves not or frequently broken off, sometimes ± auriculate; margins coarsely toothed to the middle or slightly below; cells quadrate to elongate, usually porose, unipapillose, those at the basal angles distinctly differentiated as dense, quadrate or subquadrate cells or less distinctly differentiated as elongate cells with sinuose walls. Perichaetial leaves shorter and broader, abruptly subulate. Setae short, smooth; capsules barely exserted, subglobose to ovoid; exostome teeth up to 1.1 mm long, linear-lanceolate, articulate, pale, finely papillose; endostome segments incompletely connate, cilia lacking. Spores 18-25 µm, faintly papillose. Calyptrae smooth.

• Discussion

  The genus is made recognizable by a stout, coarse appearance, long-pointed, coarsely toothed leaves, and thick-walled, porose and unipapillose cells.