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| The moss families (Bryophyta, Musci) of Britain and Ireland |
~Neckeraceae
Gametophyte. Pleurocarpous; forming patches (these dark green). Primary stems procumbent (rhizome-like, the secondary stems decumbent to ascending and pinnately to bipinnately branched and inrolling when dry). Shoots not complanate. Paraphyllia present, or absent. The leaves of main stems and branches similar in form; bilaterally symmetrical to markedly asymmetrical; elliptical to oblong, or lingulate; spiral; faintly single-nerved. The leaf nerves not extending beyond the middle of the leaf. Leaf blade apices obtuse; not apiculate; apically rounded. Leaf blade margins revolute or recurved (on one side); distally sub-crenulate or entire. Leaf blades not conspicuously bordered. The basal leaf cells more or less isodiametric to longitudinally much elongated; hexagonal to rounded; smooth. The walls of basal leaf cells straight. The angular cells not well differentiated. The mid-leaf cells more or less isodiametric to somewhat longitudinally elongated; hexagonal to rounded; smooth. The walls of the mid-leaf cells thick; straight.
Plants dioecious.
Sporophyte. Capsules shortly exserted; erect; symmetrical; straight; sub-cylindric to ellipsoid; without an externally conspicuous apophysis; without an annulus. Calyptra hairy; symmetrical; splitting down one side. Capsules dehiscing via a lid; with a peristome. The peristome more or less single, or double. The peristome teeth 16; not grouped; not deeply cleft; perforated; thin, membranous, and transversely barred; exteriorly with a fine longitudinal dividing line between the transverse bars. The inner peristome if present, rudimentary; much shorter than the outer; with a basal membranous ring (usually reduced to the very short membrane); sometimes with elongated “processes” (these then rudimentary), or without “processes”. The operculum conical, or rostrate (conical-acuminate). Setae very short; straight.
Ecology. Mesophytic, or xerophytic; occurring in basic habitats. Usually on bark of trees in basic areas, rarely on basic walls or rocks.
Representation in Britain and Ireland. 1 species. Leptodon (Prince-of-Wales Feather-moss). Northern England, English Midlands, East Anglia, Wales, southeast England, central southern England, southwest England, Isle of Wight, and Ireland.
Classification. Class Bryopsida; Subclass Bryideae; Order Hypnales.
Illustrations. • Leptodon smithii. LEPTODONTACEAE: Leptodon smithii (Hedw.) Web. & Mohr
From Dixon and Jameson (1924), the unscaled screen display slightly more than doubling the dimensions of their individual figures. 1, leaf; 1c, leaf cells at one third from the apex. Leptodon smithii. • Leptodon, with Neckera and Homalia (Neckeraceae): Berkeley. LEPTODONTACEAE: 6, Leptodon smithii (Hedw.) Web. & Mohr; a, leaves; b, calyptra; c, capsule; d, part of the peristome. NECKERACEAE: 1, Neckera complanata (Hedw.) Hübn.; a, leaves; b, leaf cells; c, capsule; d, calyptra. 2, Neckera crispa Hedw.; a, leaf; b, capsule; c, calyptra. 3, Neckera pumila Hedw.; a, leaf; b, capsule; c, part of peristome, viewed from within. 4, Neckera pennata Hedw.; a, leaf; b, capsule and perichaetium. 5, Homalia trichomanoides (Brid.) Br. Eur.; a, leaf; b, capsule; c, part of peristome.
From Berkeley (1863). The approximate 1 cm scale applies to the whole plant (habit) illustrations only.
We advise against extracting comparative information from the descriptions. This is much more easily achieved using the DELTA data files or the interactive key, which allows access to the character list, illustrations, full and partial descriptions, diagnostic descriptions, differences and similarities between taxa, lists of taxa exhibiting or lacking specified attributes, and distributions of character states within any set of taxa. See also Guidelines for using data taken from Web publications.
Cite this publication as: ‘Watson, L., and Dallwitz, M.J. 2005 onwards. The moss families (Bryophyta, Musci) of Britain and Ireland. Version: 5th August 2019. delta-intkey.com’.
