Mittenia is a genus of haplolepideous

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 ...

es (

Dicranidae The Dicranidae are a widespread and diverse subclass of mosses in class Bryopsida, with many species of dry or disturbed areas. They are distinguished by their spores; the peristome Peristome (from the Greek ''peri'', meaning 'around' or 'about', ...

) with a single species, ''Mittenia plumula'', which is the sole representative of the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Mitteniaceae in the order

Pottiales Pottiales is an order of mosses in the subclass Dicranidae. Classification The following families are recognised in ''Bryophyte Biology'': * Pottiaceae * Pleurophascaceae * Serpotortellaceae * Mitteniaceae Some other families are recogni ...

. It has luminescent

protonema A protonema (plural: protonemata) is a thread-like chain of cells that forms the earliest stage of development of the gametophyte (the haploid phase) in the life cycle of mosses. When a moss first grows from a spore, it starts as a ''germ tube'', ...

References

Moss genera Pottiales {{bryophyte-stub