W. B. Schofield

Plants small to very small, ca. 1.3 cm. Stems 0.5--1 mm wide; branches few, terminal or lateral intercalary; stems soft-textured, with 1-stratose cortex similar to medulla, of thin walled cells. Leaves opposite, succubous, margins entire and plane, leaf bases often contiguous; underleaves subulate, obsolete or absent. Specialized asexual reproduction rare, by gemmae (only in Arnellia). Sexual condition dioicous; perianths poorly developed prior to fertilization, sheathed in leaves at time of fertilization, 2-labiate. Sporophytes developed within perigynium or marsupium. Capsule spherical, ellipsoid to cylindric, with 2-stratose jacket.

Genera 3: (1 in the flora): Holarctic and Temperate North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Meditteranean and w tropical Africa.

Lower Taxon

• Arnellia Lindberg