''Cryptomitrium'' is a genus of complex

thalloid Thallus (plural: thalli), from Latinized Ancient Greek, Greek (), meaning "a green shoot" or "twig", is the vegetative tissue of some organisms in diverse groups such as algae, fungi, some Marchantiophyta, liverworts, lichens, and the Myxogastr ...

liverworts in the family

Aytoniaceae Aytoniaceae is a family of liverworts in the order Marchantiales. Genera * ''Asterella'' Palisot De Beauvisage 1805 non Saccardo 1891 non Hara 1936 non Sollas 1886 * '' Cryptomitrium'' Austin ex Underwood 1884 * ''Mannia'' Corda 1829 * '' Plagio ...

. The genus name means “hidden turban” in reference to the inconspicuous sheath around the immature sporangium.

Description

Sporophyte A sporophyte () is the diploid multicellular stage in the life cycle of a plant or alga which produces asexual spores. This stage alternates with a multicellular haploid gametophyte phase. Life cycle The sporophyte develops from the zygote pr ...

bearing receptacles are unlobed on elongate, somewhat grooved stalks, which appear pale throughout or brownish purple near the base. The receptacle is a convex-expanded disc, thinning towards the margins. Mature

sporangia A sporangium (; from Late Latin, ) is an enclosure in which spores are formed. It can be composed of a single cell or can be multicellular. Virtually all plants, fungi, and many other lineages form sporangia at some point in their life cy ...

are brown, nearly spherical with very short seta, three to seven per receptacle, each opening by a lid-like operculum. The sporangia mature in early spring.

Species

*'' Cryptomitrium himalayense'' Kashyap *'' Cryptomitrium oreades Perold *'' Cryptomitrium tenerum'' (Hook.) Austin ex Underw.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q17295670 Aytoniaceae Marchantiales genera