Cryphaea

D. Mohr in F. Weber

in F. Weber, Tab. Calyptr. Operc., [ 3]. 1814.

Etymology: Greek kryphos, concealment, alluding to immersed sporophytes
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 28. Treatment on page 585. Mentioned on page 584, 599, 652.
 TaxonIllustrator 
CrypCryphaeaGlomerata.jpegCryphaea glomerataPatricia M. Eckel
CrypCryphaeaNervosa.jpegCryphaea nervosaPatricia M. Eckel

Plants small, green to glaucous or brownish green. Stems with secondary stems decumbent to spreading and ascending, branches short-to-elongate, simple or irregularly branched; paraphyllia and pseudoparaphyllia absent. Leaves tightly imbricate when dry, usually widespreading when moist; margins plane or somewhat recurved proximally; medial laminal cells smooth or prorulose abaxially, especially distally, mostly smooth adaxially. Sexual condition autoicous; perichaetia lateral, inner leaves usually ± awned, awns usually denticulate. Seta very short. Capsule immersed; peristome double (single in C. ravenelii); exostome teeth narrowly triangular; endostome segments narrow, papillose, sometimes indistinct or absent. Calyptra conic or sometimes almost cucullate, smooth or papillose.

Distribution

Nearly worldwide, mostly tropical and subtropical regions

Discussion

Species ca. 60 (4 in the flora).

Cryphaea occurs in thin or dense colonies, with slender, often inconspicuous branches standing out from the substrate. The dull, wiry aspect of the spreading, mostly simple branches is characteristic.

Selected References

None.

Key

1 Leaf apices rounded to bluntly acute; peristome single; exostome teeth in pair s. Cryphaea ravenelii
1 Leaf apices acute to acuminate; peristome double; exostome teeth single > 2
2 Leaf costae percurrent or nearly so; apices acuminate. Cryphaea nervosa
2 Leaf costae not percurrent; apices acute to short-acuminate > 3
3 Inner perichaetial leaves 2.5-2.8 mm, awns 1/2 length expanded portion of leaf; leaf costae tip not 2-fid; s Florida. Cryphaea filiformis
3 Inner perichaetial leaves 1.6-1.9 mm, awns 1/5 -1/4 length expanded portion of leaf; leaf costae tip ± 2-fid; e, se United States. Cryphaea glomerata
... more about "Cryphaea"
William D. Reese† +
D. Mohr in F. Weber +
denticulate +
branched +  and simple +
spreading;pendent +
short;elongate +
papillose +  and smooth +
cucullate +  and conic +
rounded;quadrate +
Nearly worldwide +  and mostly tropical and subtropical regions +
Greek kryphos, concealment, alluding to immersed sporophytes +
widespreading +
concave +  and ovate-acuminate +
serrate +  and entire +
autoicous +  and sexual +
rhomboidal;fusiform +
conic-rostrate;obliquely rostrate +
in F. Weber, Tab. Calyptr. Operc., [ +
decumbent +  and spreading +
spheric +
sympodial +  and branched +
Cryphaea +
Cryphaeaceae +
brownish green +  and green +
in loose mats +  and creeping +
shiny +  and dull to somewhat +