Trabacellula

• Authority

  Fulford, Margaret H. 1968. Manual of the leafy Hepaticae of Latin America--Part III. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 11: 277-392.

• Family

  Cephaloziaceae

• Scientific Name

  Trabacellula

• Description

  Genus Description - Plants coarse, of the habit of a large Odontoschisma, pigmented with brown, irregularly branched; branches ventral-intercalary, leafy or more rarely bearing a male or female inflorescence; stem flattened, with several dorsal rows of cells between the 2 rows of leaves; in transverse section of 10-12 rows of similar, large cortical cells surrounding the medulla of many smaller cells with thickened brown walls. Rhizoids from the ventral side of the stem, short, the tips branched. Line of leaf insertion almost longitudinal. Leaves subquadrate, slightly retuse, the upper (postical) base conspicuously cordate by a few cells, leaf cells as well as those of the rest of the plant, more or less opaque from numerous dense yellow-brown bands over the surface, the cells large, tumid, the walls thin, yellow-brown, the trigones tiny, the cuticle rough. Underleaves absent, occasionally 2 slime papillae present on the stem. Plants dioicous. Male inflorescence terminal becoming intercalary on the stem or on a short branch, the bracts large, more or less leaf-like, inrolled-pouched on the dorsal side, bracteoles absent. Female inflorescence on a short ventral branch, the bracts and bracteoles in about 4 series, bifid to quadrifid. Perianth long, cylindrical below, 3-keeled above, the mouth contracted, setulose. Sporophyte not seen.

• Discussion

  Type species: Trabacellula tumidula Fulford, 1968.