Plants very large, reddish-green, magenta, or dark red, ascending to erect, in deep cushions; stems robust, to 10 cm long, with leaves to 4 mm wide, occasionally branched near the base; stems in transverse section to 14 cells across, the cortical band of one or two layers, thick-walled, the cells of the medulla larger, with thinner walls. Rhizoids not seen. Leaves spreading, asymmetric, broadly ovate to subquadrate, 0.8-2.3 mm long, 0.7-2.0 mm wide, bifid to one-fourth of their length; segments short, triangular, acute to acuminate, the sinus mostly U-shaped; leaf margins including the segments with one to several usually long teeth; cells of the median portion of the lamina averaging 73 X 28 µ the walls with elongate intermediate thickenings, the trigones very small or absent, the cuticle minutely striolate-papillose. Underleaves smaller than the leaves, orbicular to subquadrate, 0.7-1.9 mm long, 0.8-1.9 mm wide, bifid to one-fifth of their length, the segments short, narrowly triangular, spreading, often acuminate, the margins of the underleaf long-ciliate-dentate. Female inflorescence terminal, the bracts and bracteoles in several series, larger than the leaves and underleaves, the bracts ovate-truncate, the bracteoles oblong, eiliate-dentate. Perigynium 5-6 mm long, arcuate. Elaters 350-400 µ. long, reddish-brown; spores pale reddish-brown, smooth. Male inflorescence not seen. Fig. 7, a-d. Habitat: On soil. Plants very large, reddish-green, magenta, or dark red, ascending to erect, in deep cushions; stems robust, to 10 cm long, with leaves to 4 mm wide, occasionally branched near the base; stems in transverse section to 14 cells across, the cortical band of one or two layers, thick-walled, the cells of the medulla larger, with thinner walls. Rhizoids not seen. Leaves spreading, asymmetric, broadly ovate to subquadrate, 0.8-2.3 mm long, 0.7-2.0 mm wide, bifid to one-fourth of their length; segments short, triangular, acute to acuminate, the sinus mostly U-shaped; leaf margins including the segments with one to several usually long teeth; cells of the median portion of the lamina averaging 73 X 28 µ the walls with elongate intermediate thickenings, the trigones very small or absent, the cuticle minutely striolate-papillose. Underleaves smaller than the leaves, orbicular to subquadrate, 0.7-1.9 mm long, 0.8-1.9 mm wide, bifid to one-fifth of their length, the segments short, narrowly triangular, spreading, often acuminate, the margins of the underleaf long-ciliate-dentate. Female inflorescence terminal, the bracts and bracteoles in several series, larger than the leaves and underleaves, the bracts ovate-truncate, the bracteoles oblong, eiliate-dentate. Perigynium 5-6 mm long, arcuate. Elaters 350-400 µ. long, reddish-brown; spores pale reddish-brown, smooth. Male inflorescence not seen. Fig. 7, a-d.General Information
Source: [
Memoirs of the New York Botanical Garden
Distribution
