482 



CALYMPERACEAE. 



submarginal cells, basal cells large, clear, smooth, rectangular; upper cells 

 small, round, often papillose. Pedicel terminal, erect usually exserted; 

 ealyptra campanulate or cucullate; lid long-beaked; peristome single of 16 

 short teeth or lacking. A family of mostly tropical mosses, containing 2 

 genera and about 313 species. 



Leaves with a sub-marginal border of long narrow cells on the 



hyaline base. 1. Calymperes. 



Leaves with a thickened or hyaline margin at base, which is often 



coarsely serrate or double above. 2. Syrrhopodon. 



1. CALYMPEEES Sw.; Schwaegr. Suppl. 1=: 333. 1816. 



Plants in dense mats; stems crowded, simple or branching; leaves curled 

 and twisted when dry, base hyaline, often white and broader than the point, 

 the Tipper leaves often contracted into a narrow apex, bearing brood-bodies, 

 which serve to propagate the plants when sterile. Dioieous. Calyptra large, 

 covering the capsule, spirally ribbed and often rough at apex; lid beaked; 

 peristome and annulus lacking. [Named in reference to the large calyptra.] 

 About 200 species of tropical distribution. Type species: Calymperes loncho- 

 phyllum Sohwaegr. 



1. Calymperes Rlchardi C. Muell. Syn. I, 524. 1849. 



Plants crowded in dark green mats, showing the white hyaline base of the 

 leaves when dry; leaves up to 3.5 mm. long, ovate-lanceolate, tapering to a 

 blunt point; vein stout, ending below the apex, papillose on both surfaces 

 above; submarginal border of 2-3 rows of cells, extending to apex, not distinct 

 in the hyaline base; margins serrulate above. Dioieous. [Seta short, slightly 

 exserted; calyptra spirally ribbed 2 mm. long, persistent and clasping at base, 

 split above; capsule ovoid, cylindric; peristome and annulus none; lid conic- 

 beaked.] 



Only known sterile. On stumps in coppice, New Providence, Andros, Abaco 

 and Berry Islands, Great Harbor Cay : — Florida ; West Indies to tropical South 

 America. Eichahd's Calympeebs. 



2. SYBKHOPODON Schwaegr. Suppl. 2=: 110. 1824. 



Plants growing in dense mats, frequently sterile and propagating by 

 brood-bodies. Stems crowded, simple or branching; leaves curled and twisted 

 when dry, crowded at the tips of the branches, with the upper part of the blade 

 dense and often papillose, the lower part lax and translucent with large ree- 

 tanguar cells, the margins of thickened or of a double layer of cells, often 

 coarsely toothed; capsule erect, on a short terminal pedicel; peristome usually 

 present, single; teeth usually entire and papillose; lid beaked; calyptra cucul- 

 late, rough or smooth at apex. [Greek, in reference to the united teeth of the 

 peristome.] About 215 described species, tropical and subtropical. Type 

 species: Syrrhopodon Gardneri Hook. 



1. Syrrhopodon GaudichaCidii Mont. Ann. Sci. Nat. II. 2: 376. pi. 16. 1834. 



Plants pale yellowish-green, with the white bases of the leaves very con- 

 spicuous. Stems simple or with short crowded branches; leaves curled and 

 twisted at apex, about 2 mm. long; base with 5-6 rows of large rectangular 

 hyaline cells on each side of the vein and the margins bordered by narrower 



