Sub-Guide to Initial Groups

Group A – Plants on persistent protonemata (Skeleton)

Leaves 2-ranked and distichous (attached in two rows on opposite sides of the stem)

Leaves cleft at anterior edge and clasping posterior edge of next leaf; WS

Leaves decurrent and confluent; protonemata luminous; “Goblin Gold”; WS*

Leaves with longitudinal lamellae; setae long; capsules cylindrical; epiphragm present; WS

Leaves serrate to spinose-dentate; capsules sessile, ±globose & cleistocarpous; WS

Leaves acute, lacking the above unique characteristics.

Plants growing on clear, quartz crystals; costa strong; capsules immersed; KS

Plants growing on soil; costa weak at base; capsules exserted; WS*

Leaves with a hair-point or awn

Leaves with ridge-like lamellae on upper surface of costa; WS

Leaves with revolute, entire margins; cells pleuripapillose (C-shaped); WS

Leaves with recurved (at apex), serrate margins; cells ±smooth; WS*

Leaves with plane, entire margins; cells smooth

Capsules cleistocarpous; stem rhizome-like; spores few and large (>100µ); TX

Capsules operculate; calyptrae persistent, 4-angled and split; spores small; E

Setae curved; capsules laterally emergent & operculate; FL & GA

Setae straight; capsules immersed and cleistocarpous

Capsules pyriform with conspicuous, stomatose neck; spores small; WS

Capsules globose to ovoid with no neck

Calyptrae mitrate or cucullate; spores numerous and small; WS

Calyptrae rudimentary; spores few and large (>100µ); E

Leaves cuspidate to long-apiculate with reflexed tips; bulbiform; WS*

Leaves involute when wet, crisped and contorted when dry; E

Leaves with ridge-like lamellae on upper surface of costa; WS

Leaves serrate to spinose-dentate; protonemata persistent; WS

Leaves acute to acuminate, lacking the above unique characteristics

Capsules clearly operculate

Operculum short-beaked; exothecial cells collenchymatous; WS

Operculum long-beaked; exothecial cells not collenchymatous; WS

Capsules cleistocarpous or rupturing irregularly

Capsules pyriform with conspicuous, stomatose neck; spores small; WS

Capsules ovoid; calyptrae cucullate; spores small; BC, OR

Capsules globose

Calyptrae cucullate; persistent protonemata under quartz pebbles; KS

Calyptrae mitrate; spores numerous & small; WS

Calyptrae rudimentary

Costa strong; spores few and large (>100µ); E

Costa lacking; spores medium to large (up to ~80µ); WS

Plants dendroid.

Stems with dense paraphyllia or paraphyllia-like structures.

Paraphyllia green, filiform, and branched.

On rich soil; WS

On trees; curled when dry; WC, ID

Paraphyllia hyaline, filiform, and branched, lamellae on stem; NW

Stems lacking paraphyllia.

Leaves bordered, long marginal right-angled teeth; WC, NW

Leaves not bordered.

Leaf singly or doubly serrate above; apical cells rhombic; WS

Leaf with alternate large and small teeth; alar cells distinctly subquadrate; E, WC

Plants frondose.

Leaves falcate-secund; plant regularly pinnate; WS*

Leaves dimorphic (ventral amphigastria), complanate and bordered; FL,BC,AK

Leaves concave and serrulate above.

Long, axillary, filiform brood branches; FL

Short, axillary, spindle-shaped brood bodies; FL to LA

Leaves ovate and cordate.

Leaves plicate; leaf cells pleuripapillose; FL, LA

Leaves plane; leaf cells smooth; FL

Leaves lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate.

Leaf margins coarsely serrate in upper third; upper cells +prorulose; WS

Leaf margins revolute to near apex; extra costae; leaf cells smooth; W, NF

Leaves entire; leaf cells pleuripapillose; FL to LA

Plants growing horizontally; sticking +straight out from vertical surfaces.

Leaves complanate and undulate.

Costa long & single; paraphyllia present; W

Costa short & double, or lacking; paraphyllia lacking; WS*

Leaves neither complanate nor undulate.

Shoots distinctly julaceous; costa long & single; cells short; SE

Shoots not julaceous.

Alar cells subquadrate in large groups; E

Alar cells in small, inconspicuous groups; ON

Plants growing with branch tips upturned or curled when dry.

Branch tips distinctly or strongly upturned or curled when dry.

Costa long & single.

Plants dendroid; paraphyllia present; leaf cells distinctly prorulose; WC, ID

Plants not dendroid; paraphyllia lacking; leaf cells smooth or +prorulose; W

Costa short & double, or lacking.

Leaf margins sharply serrate above; leaf cells distinctly prorulose; WC

Leaf margins +entire above; leaf cells smooth.

Leaf cells  >5:1; 5-20 quadrate alar cells at the basal angles; WS*

Leaf cells ~3:1; numerous oblate alar cells extending up leaf margins; E, AZ

Branch tips loosely or indistinctly upturned, or curled when dry.

Stems with paraphyllia.

Leaves falcate, plicate below & rugose above; WC, NW

Leaves straight, smooth & imbricate when dry; WC

Stems red and/or julaceous; costa long & single; W

Stems lacking the above unique characters.

Costa long & single.

Leaves plicate; leaf cells smooth or +prorulose; W, NL

Leaves planar; leaf cells papillose; E

Costa short & double, or lacking.

Alar cells inflated as “bubble” cells; leaves +homomallous; E

Alar cells quadrate & numerous.

Capsules +erect & symmetric; upper leaf cells narrowly rhomboidal.

Leaf margins reflexed below; brood branchlets common; WS*

Leaf margins planar below; brood branchlets lacking; WS*

Capsules +inclined & asymmetric; upper leaf cells shortly oblong-rhomboidal; WS *

Hypophysis turbinate, globose or skirt-like, and colored; leaves obtuse to acuminate; N, CP & SA

Hypophysis pyriform and ±urn-colored; leaves elongate-subulate to hair-pointed; N

Hypophysis evident, but ±narrower than urn and wrinkled when dry; leaves obtuse to acuminate.

Capsules cylindric; setae brownish; calyptrae constricted above base; N*

Capsules dumbbell shaped; setae hyaline; calyptrae not constricted; A/A

Hypophysis lacking; cleistocarpous; leaves long acuminate to hair-pointed; A/A