Ptychomitrium Fürnrohr, Flora 12(2, Ergänzungsbl.). 19. 1829.
[nom. cons.]
Greek pty, fold, and mitr, cap, referring to the plicate calyptra
Plants small to robust, tufted or cespitose, dark green to blackish. Stems erect or repent. Leaves erect to crispate when dry, margins entire to serrulate or serrate; medial cells smooth or slightly papillose. Specialized asexual reproduction rare, by 1-seriate gemmae on branched axillary filaments. Seta straight. Capsule ovoid to cylindric, symmetric or slightly curved, smooth to wrinkled or ribbed when dry. Calyptra mitrate, more or less plicate, lobed proximally.
Species 40--50 (5 in the flora): nearly worldwide, mostly in temperate regions.
EXCLUDED TAXON
Glyphomitrium canadense Mitten was included for western Canada by G. N. Jones (1933), but was excluded from North America by H. A. Crum (1972) and L. E. Anderson et al. (1990). H. A. Crum (1972) considered G. canadense to be a synonym of the British G. daviesii (Withering) Bridel and suggested that the specimen upon which Mitten based the name came from Britain.
SELECTED REFERENCE
Cao, T. and D. H. Vitt. 1994. North American-East Asian similarities in the genus Ptychomitrium (Bryopsida). Bryologist 97: 34-41.
OTHER REFERENCES
Anderson, L. E., H. A. Crum and W. R. Buck. 1990. List of the mosses of North America north of Mexico. Bryologist 93: 448-499.
Buck, W. R. 1979. A re-evaluation of the Bruchiaceae with the description of a new genus. Brittonia 31: 469--473.
Crum, H. 1972. The dubious origin of Glyphomitrium canadense Mitt. J. Bryology 7: 165-168.
Jones, G. N. 1933. Grimmiaceae in A. J. Grout, editor, Moss flora of North America North of Mexico, Vol. 2, pp. 1--60. Newfane.
Version 3: Jan. 2002 -- Technically Edited, new maps
Version 2: March, 1999 -- maps added, minor editorial changes.
Version 1: February, 1999
