Plants small. Stems erect, arising from a persistent protonema that reflects light, giving off a greenish golden color. Leaves of sterile shoots distichous-complanate. Specialized asexual structures sometimes present, developing on the protonema. Sexual condition apparently dioicous, though male and female plants develop on the same protonemal mat; perichaetial leaves linear-lanceolate, acute, clustered distally on naked stem. Seta straight, smooth. Capsule with peristome absent. Operculum plano-convex. Calyptra conic-mitrate. Spores sticky, elliptic.

Distribution

Circumboreal.

Discussion

Genus 1, species 1.

Selected References

Edwards, S. R. 1978. Protonemal gemmae in Schistostega pennata (Hedw.) Web. et Mohr. J. Bryol. 10: 69–72.

Ignatov, M. S. and E. A. Ignatova. 2001. On the zoochory of Schistostega pennata (Schistostegaceae, Musci). Arctoa 10: 83–96.

Lower Taxa

Schistostega

Illustrations

	Family ⠉	Taxon	Illustrator ⠉
	Schistostegaceae	Schistostega pennata	Patricia M. Eckel