Spirina U.N.1, Ignatov M.S.2 2010. On the branch development in Leucodon (Leucodontaceae, Bryophyta) // Arctoa. Vol. 19: 139–150 [in English].
1 Tver State University, Zhelyabova str., 33, Tver 170000 Russia; e-mail: ulayspirina@mail.ru
2 Tsitsin Main Botanical Garden of Russian Academy of Sciences, Botanicheskaya 4, Moscow 127276 Russia; e-mail: misha_ignatov@list.ru
KEYWORDS: Leucodon, Leucodontaceae, Antitrichia, branch morphogenesis .
ABSTRACT. The branch primordia of the Leucodon and Felliponaea is studied and its structure is found to be very similar with that of Brachytheciaceae and Meteoriaceae. The first branch leaf is pointed downwards, although the first divisions of the branch initial cells cut off cell in the same way as in other mosses, in the “four o’clock” position. There is however a difference from Brachytheciaceae as the first branch leaf is often breaks into a number of parts in some species, including the widespread Leucodon sciuroides, obscuring the specific position of the first branch leaf. A possible reason of the similarities of this anomalous pattern is discussed.
doi 10.15298/arctoa.19.12