Inés Sastre-De Jesús

Climacium subg. Porotrichum Bridel, Bryol. Univ. 2: 275. 1827

Plants medium-sized, dendroid, light green to golden green, shiny. Stems forming stipe perpendicular to substrate, usually pinnate to sparsely branched distally; paraphyllia absent. Secondary stem and branch leaves erect, ovate-oblong, asymmetric, flat; margins serrate, teeth straight; apex acute; costa single, , tapering toward apex; basal and medial laminal cells rectangular, walls not porose. Sexual condition dioicous; perichaetial inner leaves broadly lanceolate-subulate. Seta to 2.5 cm. Capsule oblong-ovoid; exostome teeth lanceolate, external surface with strongly projecting lamellae, usually papillose; endostome basal membrane high, segments papillose to sparsely papillose. Spores 13 µm.

Species ca. 40 (1 in the flora): w North America, Mexico, West Indies, Central America, South America, Asia, Africa, Pacific Islands (New Zealand).

Species of Porotrichum are distinguished by leaves with serrate apices and costae tapering toward the apex. In the flora area, the genus is represented by only one species, while the tropics hold the largest diversity.

Lower Taxon

• Porotrichum bigelovii (Sullivant) Kindberg