Distichium Bruch & Schimper in P. Bruch, W. P. Schimper & W. Gümbel, Bryologia Europaea. 2: 153 (fasc. 29--30. Mon. 1). 1846.
Greek distichos, in two rows; the leaves are in two rows
Rodney D. Seppelt
Plants slender, elongate, in dense tomentose tufts. Stems erect, simple or branched. Leaves distichous, with an erect whitish sheathing base and spreading linear, roughened subula; lamina 1-stratose, margins plane to slightly incurved, entire proximally, becoming denticulate in subula particularly near the apex; costa single, excurrent, occupying most of subula, 1/4--1/3 width of leaf in sheathing base, roughened abaxially in subula; lamina cells smooth proximally, prorate in subula by thickened end walls, cells of sheathing base linear to oblong-linear, linear-flexuose or rectangular, becoming rectangular above and quadrate to short-rectangular in subula. Specialized asexual reproduction unknown. Sexual condition autoicous, paroicous or synoicous; perigonia axillary, or on short branches proximal to perichaetium; perichaetial leaves not differentiated. Seta erect, elongate, yellow-brown to reddish. Capsule exserted, straight to slightly arcuate, erect and symmetric or inclined and asymmetric, cylindric to ovoid-cylindric, brown, ± wrinkled when dry and empty; annulus of 2--3 rows of large, pale cells, deciduous; operculum conic, straight; peristome single, of 16 dark red teeth, variously split to near the base into 2(--3) minutely papillose filaments, the teeth sometimes arranged in 8 groups of 2 teeth. Calyptra cucullate, falling early. Spores globose to ovoid, finely papillose, yellow to yellow-brown.
Species 14 (3 in the flora): worldwide.
SELECTED REFERENCES
Crum, H. A. and L. E. Anderson. 1981. Mosses of Eastern North America. Vol.1. New York. Grout, A. J. 1936. Moss Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 1, Part 1. Newfane. Ireland, R. R. 1982. Moss Flora of the Maritime Provinces, Publications in Botany 13, National Museums of Canada. Ottawa. Lawton, E. 1971. Moss Flora of the Pacific Northwest. Hattori Botanical Laboratory. Nichinan. Nyholm, E. 1986. Illustrated Flora of Nordic Mosses. Fasc. 1. Fissidentaceae--Seligeriaceae. Stockholm.
SELECTED ADDITIONAL REFERENCES
Flowers, S. 1973. Mosses: Utah and the West. Provo, Utah.
Philibert, H. 1896. Etudes sur le peristome (9e article). Revue Bryologique 23: 36--38.
