Plants in wiry wefts, dark green to olive green, occasionally yellowish. Stems irregularly branched to pinnate; paraphyllia few or absent. Leaves appressed or squarrose, imbricate, dimorphic, stem leaves ovate-acuminate, branch leaves ovate; margins plane, serrate, serrulate, or papillose-serrate; apex acute to acuminate; costa single, short, usually 2-fid or double to mid leaf, broad basally; alar cells not differentiated; laminal cells quadrate to rhomboidal, strongly papillose or smooth, walls thickened; basal and juxtacostal cells elongate. Capsule horizontal, short-cylindric, curved.

Distribution

North America, Mexico, Central America (El Salvador), South America, Europe, Asia.

Discussion

Species 9 (3 in the flora).

Heterocladium frequently has elongate to flagellate branches. The seta is 0.1–0.2 cm and smooth; the capsule is brown; the operculum is conic-apiculate to short-rostrate; the peristome is perfect, with 2 or 3 elongate, nodose cilia; and the spores are 10–18 µm and essentially smooth.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Heterocladium dimorphum, Heterocladium macounii, Heterocladium procurrens

Key

1	Laminal cells smooth; leaves squarrose-spreading when dry.	Heterocladium procurrens
1	Laminal cells smooth or papillose; leaves spreading to erect-appressed when dry	> 2
2	Laminal cell papillae 2-4 per lumen; stem epidermal cells multipapillose; leaf margins papillose-serrate.	Heterocladium macounii
2	Laminal cell papillae 1 at distal ends; basal cells smooth; stem epidermal cells smooth; leaf margins serrate to serrulate.	Heterocladium dimorphum