Plants gregarious to loosely tufted, yellow-green. Stem 0.04–0.2 cm, branched, rhizoids sparse. Leaf reflexed-recurved, lanceolate with sheathing base, margins serrulate at apex, occasionally to the base, doubly toothed mostly at angles acute to the long axis; costa thin and narrow, subpercurrent, serrulate abaxially, with a central stereid band, basal cells large, rectangular, distal cells rhombic, smooth. Sexual condition synoicous; antheridia in axils of leaves, becoming lateral after indeterminate growth of the stem. Seta very short, erect. Capsule cleistocarpous, immersed. Calyptra cucullate. Spores globose, papillose.

Distribution

North America, Mexico, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Pacific Islands (New Zealand), Australia.

Discussion

This genus is placed in the Ditrichaceae because the chromosome number of n = 13 (E. Lawton 1971) is essentially that of Ditrichum, the type genus of the family. A recent study (M. Stech, unpubl.) supported the relationship between Pseudephemerum and Trichodon, both of the Ditrichaceae.

Species 1.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Pseudephemerum nitidum