Plants minute or merely small, gregarious to densely tufted. Stems erect, simple or branching, with a central strand. Leaves mostly lanceolate or subulate, straight or somewhat curved, base oblong to ovate; in several rows; margins plane, entire or serrulate distally; costa single, well developed, subpercurrent to shortly excurrent as a sometimes roughened or denticulate subula, in section poorly differentiated or with 1 row of guide cells and 2 (sub-)stereid bands, adaxial band much reduced; lamina cells smooth or abaxially papillose; basal cells broader, narrower towards the margins, those of basal angles not differentiated or forming a marginal border; distal cells short-to long-rectangular, walls firm. Specialized asexual reproduction not known. Sexual condition autoicous or paroicous [dioicous]; perigonia axillary or on short branches adjacent to perichaetia or basal on the plant; perichaetial leaves usually differentiated, longer and somewhat sheathing. Seta short to elongate, usually yellow or brown; capsules immersed to exerted, cylindric or obovate with a distinct inflated-tapering to elongate neck, erect to curved; cleistocarpous, gymnostomous, or peristomate; annulus, when present, usually of 2-3 rows of larger cells, commonly revoluble; peristome, when present, single, of 16 simple, forked, or perforate teeth; operculum,when present, obliquely long-rostrate. Calyptra cucullate or mitrate. Spores often large, spheric to ovoid or weakly reniform, finely to coarsely papillose, spiculate, reticulate, or pitted.
Home