''Neckera'' is a large 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 ...

es belonging to the family

Neckeraceae 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. Description Members of the family are usually large and glossy plants with creeping st ...

. The genus was first described by Johann Hedwig. The genus 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 ...

Description

Gametophye

Medium-sized to large mosses that form shelf growth forms. They are light to dark green in colour, or sometimes yellowish. They tend to be shiny. The creeping stems are irregularly branched. Paraphyllia (the trichome-like or foliose structures on moss stem surfaces) may be present or absent. The secondary stem and branch leaves range from erect to spreading. The leaf like structures may be secund (on one side only), ovate (oval shaped), obovate (narrower edge at the base), oblong (elongated), oblong-ligulate (long and strap-shaped), or oblong-lanceolate (long and lance shaped). They may be asymmetric or flat or strongly undulate (wavy edged). The margins are entire to serrate with recurved teeth. The apex is obtuse to acuminate and the costa (midrib) double and short, or sometimes single or absent. The basal laminal cells are linear to rectangular. The walls may or may not be pitted.

Sporophye

The seta range from in length. The capsules are cylindric, oblong, or globose. The exostome teeth are lanceolate and smooth to densely papillose. They somewhat cross striate basally. The endostome basal membrane is low to high. The segments are smooth to densely papillose. The surrounding perichaetial inner leaves (modified leaves surrounding the sex organs or later the seta) are oblong, oblong-lanceolate, or ovate-subulate.

Reproduction

Plants are autoicous (male and female reproductive structures on the same plant but on separate branches) or dioicous (male and female reproductive structures on separate plants). The spores are 12-39 µm in size.

Species

The following species are recognised:

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1422972 Neckeraceae Moss genera Taxa named by Johann Hedwig