Leucobryum altiusculum Besch., J. Bot. (Desvaux) 12: 285. 1898. Leucobryum angustissimum Broth., Symb. Sin. 4: 28. 1929. Type. China: Hunan, Handel-Mazzetti 12597 (holotype H). Leucobryum brevicaule Besch., J. Bot. (Desvaux) 12: 285. 1898. Leucobryum ferriei Card. in Ren. & Card., Bull. Soc. Roy. Bot. Belgique 41(1): 28. 1905. Leucobryum holleanum Dozy & Molk., Bryol. Jav. 1: 17, t. 13. 1855. Leucobryum humile Broth. ex Besch., J. Bot. (Desvaux) 12: 286. 1898. Leucobryum japonicum (Besch.) Card. in Broth., Nat. Pflanzenfam. 1(3): 346. 1901. Ochrobryum japonicum Besch., J. Bot. (Desvaux) 11: 151. 1897. Leucobryum lacteolum Besch., J. Bot. (Desvaux) 12: 286. 1898. Leucobryum neilgherrense C. Müll., Bot. Zeitung (Berlin). 12: 556. 1854. Leucobryum neilgherrense var. minus Card., Beih. Bot. Centralbl. 19(2): 97. 1905. Type. China: Taiwan, Faurie 50 (holotype PC). Leucobryum retractum Besch., Ann. Sci. Nat. Bot. sér. 7, 17: 334. 1893. Leucobryum rhizophyllum Warnst., Hedwigia 57: 81, f. 17. 1915. Leucobryum textorii Besch., J. Bot. (Desvaux) 12: 288. 1898. Leucobryum triviale C. Müll., Linnaea 36: 30. 1869.

Plants small to medium-sized, up to 3 cm high, whitish green, in dense tufts or compact cushions. Stems erect, simple or branched; central strand absent. Leaves somewhat flexuose when dry, erect-spreading to slightly falcate-secund when moist, 5–8 mm × 1–2 mm, lanceolate, gradually narrowed to subtubulous apices from a slightly shorter ovate base, acute to bluntly mucronate at the apex; dorsal side of leaf acumina smooth; margins entire, bordered by 2–3 rows of linear cells, 40–45 µm × 3–5 µm, lamina near leaf base consisting of 5–10 rows of quadrate to rectangular cells; costae in cross section, leucocysts 2–4 layers on abaxial side and 1–2 layers on adaxial side, sandwiching a layer of chlorocysts. Dioicous. Sporophytes not seen.

Type. Canary Islands: Tenerife, collector unknown.

Chinese specimens examined: FUJIAN: Wuyi Shan (Mt.), P.-J. Lin 2416 (IBSC), 2405B (IBSC, MO). GUANGDONG: Chi-xing Co., P.-J. Lin 4739 (IBSC); Ding-hu Shan (Mt.), P.-J. Lin 056 (MO). HAINAN: Diao-luo Shan (Mt.), P.-Z. Zheng 365 (IBSC); Ba-wang-ling (Mt.), P.-J. Lin 326 (IBSC); Jian-feng-ling (Mt.), P.-C. Chen 372 (MO, PE, as Leucobryum textorii), P.-C. Chen 270, 315 (MO, PE, as Leucobryum holleanum); P.-J. Lin 4118 (MO). HONG KONG: New Territories, T. Croat 77329 (MO), Victoria Mt., Redfearn 33443 (MO). HUBEI: Li-chuan Co., 1980 Sino-Amer. Exped. No. 1997, 2074 (MO). HUNAN: Changsha City, Handel-Mazzetti 12597 (H, IBSC); Tschangscha (Chang-sha), Handel-Mazzetti s.n. [Kryptogamae exsiccatae 3081] (MO). JIANGSU: Wu-xian Co., P.-C. Wu & Y.-X. Jin 1661, 1762 (MO); Yixing Pref., P.-C. Wu & Y.-X. Jin 2048, 2272 (MO). JIANGXI: Lu Shan (Mt.), D.-K. Li 017431 (IBSC, SHM). SICHUAN: Nan-chuan Co., P.-C. Wu 21101 (MO); Omei Co., Allen 6659 (MO), Redfearn et al. 34747 (MO). TAIWAN: Nantou Co., C.-C. Chuang 6174 (MO), M.-J. Lai 1503 (MO); Tai-pei Co., C.-C. Chuang 5316, 5482 (MO); Tai-tung Co. C.-C. Chuang 5261 (MO). YUNNAN: An-ning Co., Redfearn et al. 2130 (MO); Da-li Co., Redfearn et al. 1259, 1595 (MO); Jing-hong Co., Redfearn et al. 34303 (MO); Meng-hai Co., Redfearn et al. 34136 (MO); Song-ming Co., Redfearn et al. 2025 (MO). ZHEJIANG: Deqing Pref., P.-C. Wu 1287, 1291 (MO); Puduo Isl., P.-C. Wu 1334, 1364 (MO); Tianmu Shan (Mt.), Y.-F. Wang 260 (MO).

Habitat: on soil and tree trunks under broad-leafed forests; Distribution: China, India, Myanmar, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, the Philippines, Macaronesia, New Guinea, Japan, Korea, Caucasus, Europe, Turkey, and Madagascar.

Illustrations: Pl. 67, figs. 3–7.