Plants medium-sized to large, green, brown-green, yellowish, or yellow-brown. Stems unbranched to irregularly pinnate, ± in one plane; hyalodermis absent, central strand present; paraphyllia absent; rhizoids or rhizoid initials on stem or abaxial costa insertion, rarely forming tomentum, slightly branched, smooth; axillary hairs well developed, many, distal cells 1–2(–3), yellow or brownish when young. Stem leaves imbricate, erectopatent, patent, or sometimes spreading, straight or falcate, ovate-lanceolate to very broadly ovate, not plicate, longer than 1 mm; base not decurrent (decurrent in P. trifarium); margins plane, entire, very finely or distinctly denticulate, limbidia absent; apex broadly rounded, apiculate, or acuminate, acumen plane or furrowed; costa single to mid leaf or beyond, or double and short; alar cells ± differentiated, quadrate to long-rectangular, inflated or not, yellow when mature, walls thin to strongly incrassate, region indistinctly delimited, transversely triangular or sometimes in one transverse basal row, large; medial laminal cells linear; marginal cells 1-stratose. Sexual condition dioicous. Capsule horizontal to inclined, cylindric, curved; peristome perfect or nearly so; exostome margins weakly dentate distally; endostome cilia 1–4, well developed, nodose. Spores 10–18 µm.

Distribution

North America, West Indies, South America, Eurasia, Africa, Atlantic Islands.

Discussion

Species 5 (4 in the flora).

Pseudocalliergon is typically found in mineral-rich to strongly calcareous habitats. Excepting P. angustifolium, the shoots are generally turgid, with markedly broad leaves. All species become yellow-brown when old; when dry they frequently have a golden metallic gloss in spots, that is rare only in P. trifarium (readily visible in the dissecting microscope). The alar regions consist of few or often many quadrate to long-rectangular cells, often with yellow walls, thin-walled to often strongly incrassate, and form indistinctly delimited transversely triangular groups or sometimes single transverse basal rows. Species of Pseudocalliergon are somewhat similar to those of Drepanocladus, but dry plants of Pseudocalliergon usually have a golden metallic gloss that is absent in Drepanocladus, alar regions are more diffusely delimited and consist of less strongly inflated cells than in the latter, axillary hairs are usually yellowish when young only in Pseudocalliergon, and habitats of the Pseudocalliergon species are usually nutrient-poor, whereas those of Drepanocladus species are more or less nutrient-rich. Despite morphological distinctness, molecular data suggest that the Pseudocalliergon species are nested within Drepanocladus (L. Hedenäs and C. Rosborg 2008). Characters differentiating Pseudocalliergon from 14. Sanionia are mentioned under the latter genus.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Pseudocalliergon angustifolium, Pseudocalliergon brevifolium, Pseudocalliergon trifarium, Pseudocalliergon turgescens

Key

1	Stem leaves falcate, gradually or somewhat suddenly narrowed to apex; apices acuminate	> 2
1	Stem leaves straight, suddenly narrowed to apex; apices rounded or apiculate	> 3
2	Stem leaves ovate-lanceolate to broadly ovate; apices long-acuminate; costae single, 3-5-stratose, (31-)38-70(-74) µm wide at base; distal laminal cells often prorate abaxially; boreal or mountainous areas.	Pseudocalliergon angustifolium
2	Stem leaves ovate to very broadly ovate; apices short- to long-acuminate; costae single, 2- or 3-stratose, 21-53 µm wide at base, or sometimes double; distal laminal cells smooth; Arctic areas.	Pseudocalliergon brevifolium
3	Stem leaf apices broadly obtuse or rounded, short-apiculate.	Pseudocalliergon turgescens
3	Stem leaf apices broadly rounded.	Pseudocalliergon trifarium