Neckeraceae Explained

Neckeraceae is a moss family in the order Hypnales. There are about 200 species native to temperate and tropical regions. Most grow on rocks, or other plants.^[1]

Description

Members of the family are usually large and glossy plants with creeping stolons that bear small leaves and tufts of rhizoids. Stems are generally frondose, but may rarely be dendroid. Leaf cell shape is almost always smooth, short, and firm-walled. Marginal cells are typically quadrate to short-rectangular in few to several rows. The sporophyte features are variable between genera.

Species are epiphytic, epilithic, or aquatic.^[2]

Classification

The Neckeraceae were originally placed within the Leucodontales. However, they are now included in the Hypnales., the following genera are recognised in the family Neckeraceae:^[3]

Formerly included

• Bissetia Broth. ex M. Fleisch. (now in Miyabeaceae)
• Bryolawtonia D.H. Norris & Enroth (now in Lembophyllaceae)
• Crassiphyllum Ochyra (synonym of Thamnobryum)
• Cryptopodia Röhl. (synonym of Neckera)
• Distichia (Brid.) Brid. (synonym of Neckera)
• Homaliadelphus Dixon & P. de la Varde (now in Miyabeaceae)
• Limbella (Müll. Hal.) Renauld & Cardot (now in Amblystegiaceae)
• Lomoporotrichum Müll. Hal. (synonym of Pseudoparaphysanthus)
• Neckeradelphus Laz. (synonym of Forsstroemia)
• Orthostichella Müll. Hal. (now in Orthostichellaceae)
• Parathamnium (M. Fleisch.) Ochyra (synonym of Touwia)
• Porothamnium M. Fleisch. (synonym of Porotrichum)

Unplaced

• Dendro-leskea Hampe

Notes and References

1. Olsson, S., et al. (2011). Neckera and Thamnobryum (Neckeraceae, Bryopsida): Paraphyletic assemblages. Taxon 60(1) 36-50.
2. Olsson, S, Buchbender, V, Enroth, J, Huttunen, S, Hedenäs, L & Quandt, D 2009, 'Evolution of the Neckeraceae (Bryophyta): resolving the backbone phylogeny', Systematics and Biodiversity, vol 7, no. 4, pp. 419-432.
3. Web site: Tropicos . 2022-07-20 . www.tropicos.org.