106 MEMOIRS OF THE NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN [VOL. 11 



lepidoziaceae H. Arnell in O. R, Holmberg, Scand. Fl. 2: 194. 1928. emend. 

 Fulford, Brittonia 15: 000. 1963. 



Sporeling protonema of the Nardia type. Leafy stems erect, radially sym- 

 metric to prostrate and dorsiventral, in some from a creeping caudex; branches 

 both terminal (of the Frullania, Microlepidozia, and Acromastigum types), and 

 ventral-intercalary in the axils of the underleaves, leafy, flagelliform or as 

 stolons; stems in transverse section undifferentiated or with a cortical layer of 

 12 (sometimes 24, 18, 15, 9, or 6) larger cells. Rhizoids from the scale-leaves 

 of the flagelliform branches, more rarely from the underleaves or the base of 

 a short female branch. Leaf insertion transverse, or oblique with the leaves 

 incubous or succubous. Leaves subentire, serrate above, or bifid, trifid, quadrifid, 

 to many-parted, keeled in a few genera. Underleaves as large as the leaves and 

 similar, or smaller and of different form. Male inflorescence terminal on the 

 stem or a long branch, becoming intercalary, or on a short ventral-intercalary 

 sexual branch ; antheridia only in the axils of the bracts. Female inflorescence 

 terminal on the stem, a long leafy branch, a flagelliform branch, or a short 

 ventral-intercalary sexual branch ; bracts and bracteoles in three or four series, 

 different from the leaves and underleaves; archegonia about ten. Perianth 

 three-keeled at least above, the mouth contracted, entire, or variously serrulate, 

 dentate, or ciliate. Shoot/sporophyte relationship a shoot-calyptra, with un- 

 fertilized archegonia on the surface, at least below the middle. Sporophyte foot 

 inverted-cone-shaped ; seta of 16 or 8 large cells surrounding the inner, large to 

 somewhat smaller cells; capsule wall in two to five layers, the cells with char- 

 acteristic thickening bands. 



Type genus : Lepidozia Dumortier. 



Bazzania S. F. Gray, Nat. Arr. Br. PI. 1: 704. 1821. 



Pleuroschisma Dumortier, Syll. Jungerm. 68. 1831. 

 Herpetium C. G. Nees, Nat. Eur. Leberm. 1: 96. 1833. 

 Mastigobryum Nees, Lindenberg & Gottsche, Syn. Hep. 214. 1845. 



Plants in tufts or depressed mats, bright green, olive-green, golden-yellow, 

 reddish, or brown ; stems filiform to robust, the lateral branches of the Frullania 

 type forming apparent dichotomies, subtended by an ovate, acute dorsal half- 

 leaf ; ventral branches intercalary, in the axils of underleaves, flagelliform, long, 

 filiform with scale-like leaves; stem in transverse section little differentiated; 

 rhizoids colorless, from the scales of the flagelliform branches, the lower portions 

 of the female bracts, or rarely from the underleaves. Line of leaf insertion 

 oblique, straight to strongly curved in its upper part, in some becoming hook- 

 formed. Leaves incubous, alternate (rarely opposite), asymmetric, ovate to 

 lanceolate, the dorsal base convex to cordate, the ventral base often more or 

 less auricled, the apex truncate, 2-3-toothed (rarely 4-toothed), in a few species 

 undivided ; leaf-margins entire, rarely serrate to spinose-dentate, sometimes 

 ciliate or appendiculate at the ventral base; leaf-cells quadrate to hexagonal, the 



