Thuidiaceae

Diagnosis: Plants small and slender, in typically stiff, dull, mostly dark-green, often dense mats. Stems creeping, to ca. 3 cm long, 1-pinnate; paraphyllia usually very sparse on stems, absent on branches, filamentous, 1(-2)-seriate, unbranched, to ca. 8 cells long, the cells quadrate, the distal cell truncate. Stem and branch leaves scarcely differentiated, stem leaves flexuosely incurved when dry, spreading when moist, ovate-triangular, 0.3-0.6 mm long, ± abruptly short-acuminate, concave, not plicate, not decurrent; margins crenulate-papillose throughout, plane or narrowly recurved below; costa single, strong, disappearing in the acumen but not filling it; cells ± quadrate, obscurely pluripapillose. Branch leaves strongly incurved when dry, spreading when moist, oblong to oblong-ovate, ca. 0.5 mm long, obtuse to acute, concave, not plicate, not decurrent; margins regularly crenulate-serrulate, plane or narrowly recurved below; costa single, ending ca. 7/8 the leaf length, often ± flexuose, apex projecting at back as a small spine; cells ± quadrate, pluripapillose with (1-)2-4(-5) papillae/cell. Setae elongate, roughened throughout, orange, 0.8-1.5 cm long; capsules inclined to subpendent, broadly short-cylindric, 1-1.3 mm long; operculum obliquely long-rostrate; exostome teeth yellow to yellow-brown, shouldered, bordered, on the front surface cross-striolate below, becoming papillose and then coarsely papillose above. Spores 11-14 µm diameter.

Distribution: U.S (Florida); Mexico; Central America; South America

Ecology: Growing on soil, limestone, humus, old wood, etc. in dry to mesic, less often humid forest, ca. 100-1000 m or higher.

Basionym: Leskea involvens Hedw.

Basionym Citation: Species Muscorum Frondosorum 218. 1801.

Other Published Figures: W. R. Buck. 1998. Pleurocarpous mosses of the West Indies. Plate 75 (1-11).