''Dicranella'' is a genus of

moss Mosses are small, non-vascular flowerless plants in the taxonomic division Bryophyta (, ) '' sensu stricto''. Bryophyta (''sensu lato'', Schimp. 1879) may also refer to the parent group bryophytes, which comprise liverworts, mosses, and hor ...

belonging to the family

Dicranaceae Dicranaceae is a family of haplolepideous mosses (Dicranidae) in class Bryopsida. Species within this family are dioicous Dioicy () is a sexual system where archegonia and antheridia are produced on separate gametophytes. It is one of the t ...

. The genus was first described by Karl Müller. It has a

cosmopolitan distribution In biogeography, cosmopolitan distribution is the term for the range of a taxon that extends across all or most of the world in appropriate habitats. Such a taxon, usually a species, is said to exhibit cosmopolitanism or cosmopolitism. The ext ...

. ''Dicranella heteromalla'' is found to have a satisfactory

holotype A holotype is a single physical example (or illustration) of an organism, known to have been used when the species (or lower-ranked taxon) was formally described. It is either the single such physical example (or illustration) or one of several ...

. ''Dicranella heteromalla'' possesses an structured designed to endure acidic environments. In addition, it has multipurpose systems that allow a satisfactory adaption. For example, the wild

rhizoid Rhizoids are protuberances that extend from the lower epidermal cells of bryophytes and algae. They are similar in structure and function to the root hairs of vascular land plants. Similar structures are formed by some fungi. Rhizoids may be unic ...

system of ''D. heteromalla'' forms a dense, matted network of filaments of different diameters, which evidences that its major role is solute uptake rather than anchorage. Species: * '' Dicranella acroclada'' Cardot, 1915 * '' Dicranella heteromalla'' (Hedw.) Schimp * '' Dicranella lorentzii'' (previously known as ''Aongstroemia lorentzi'') * '' Dicranella staphylina'' Whitehouse, 1965 * ''

Dicranella varia ''Dicranella varia'' is a species of moss belonging to the family Dicranaceae Dicranaceae is a family of haplolepideous mosses (Dicranidae) in class Bryopsida. Species within this family are dioicous Dioicy () is a sexual system where ar ...

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q712266 Dicranales Moss genera