Anacolia

Plants in lax to dense tufts, sometimes viny, reddish brown proximally, yellowish green to green distally. Stems 1–5 cm, erect to ascending, simple or fastigiate; octagonal in cross section, hyalodermis absent, epidermis prorulose; radiculose proximally, rhizoids papillose. Leaves not in distinct rows or rarely in 5 rows, imbricate, appressed when dry, erect to spreading or recurved when moist, narrowly lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, 1–3-stratose (sometimes 3- or 4-stratose at margins); base not sheathing; margins revolute in distal 1/2, sometimes almost to base, serrate, teeth single or paired; apex acute, acuminate, or rarely obtuse; costa percurrent to long-excurrent, abaxial surface rough or smooth; basal laminal cells shorter, wider than distal cells; distal cells usually oblong to linear or quadrate, strongly prorulose to nearly smooth, walls thick. Specialized asexual reproduction unknown. Sexual condition dioicous; perigonia gemmiform; perichaetial leaves scarcely distinct. Seta single, short to elongate, straight or somewhat curved. Capsule erect to inclined, globose to ovoid, irregularly wrinkled when dry, mouth small; annulus absent or scarcely developed; operculum short-conic to conic-obtuse; peristome absent, of low membrane, or exostome teeth yellow to reddish brown, short, fragile, apically free; endostome rare, very faint. Spores globose to reniform, warty or coarsely papillose.

Distribution

North America, Mexico, West Indies, Central America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa.

Discussion

Species 4 (2 in the flora).

Anacolia is recognized by its imbricate, appressed leaves, borne on prorulose stems that are felty tomentose proximally. The basal juxtacostal laminal cells are sometimes linear; the perigonia and perichaetia are terminal, appearing lateral by innovations; the capsule is leptodermous; and the capsule neck is very short or absent. When fertile, the usually erect, irregularly wrinkled capsules are distinctive. Within the flora area, Anacolia is confined to western North America.

Selected References

Flowers, S. 1952. Monograph of the genus Anacolia. Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 79: 161–185.

Lower Taxa

Anacolia laevisphaera, Anacolia menziesii

Key

1	Distal laminal cells prorulose at both ends on both surfaces; inner basal cells elongated oblong; distal lamina 2-4-stratose.	Anacolia laevisphaera
1	Distal laminal cells smooth or a few cells bearing low prorulae on abaxial side; inner basal cells quadrate or short-rectangular; distal lamina 1 (or 2)-stratose.	Anacolia menziesii