Trichodon Schimper, Coroll. 36. 1856.
Greek trichos, hair, and odon, tooth
Robert R. Ireland
Plants small, scattered or in loose tufts, light– to yellowish–green. Stems erect, simple; rhizoids papillose, at base of stems. Leaves subulate, squarrose, tubulose, slightly contorted when dry, base broad and sheathing; costa single, percurrent, filling distal part of subula, strongly prorulose on abaxial surface; cells smooth or prorulose, lacking pits, median cells rectangular, sometimes quadrate and irregularly angled on margins. Specialized asexual reproduction sometimes present, smooth, round or irregularly shaped tubers on rhizoids. Sexual condition dioicous; male and female plants about the same size. Seta solitary, yellow to red, elongate, erect, straight, smooth. Capsule erect to inclined, yellowish to reddish brown, cylindric, slightly curved or sometimes straight, smooth; annulus of 1--3 rows of large cells, deciduous; operculum conic to short–rostrate; peristome single, teeth 16, papillose, divided nearly to base to form two filiform segments. Calyptra cucullate, smooth, naked. Spores globose, minutely papillose.
Species 2 (1 in the flora): terrestrial habitats in boreal and Arctic regions: North America, Europe, Asia.
SELECTED REFERENCE
Ireland, R. R. 1978. Trichodon in North America. Bryologist 81: 150--154.
OTHER REFERENCE
Steere, W. C. 1954. Chromosome number and behavior in Arctic mosses. Bot. Gaz. 116: 93--133.
Version 4: July, 2000 -- illustration added.
Version 3: November, 1999 -- distribution statement, altitudinal range changed for Trichodon cylindricus var. cylindricus.
Version 2: March, 1999 -- maps added, minor editorial changes.
Version 1: February, 1999.
