''Dicranella'' is a genus of

moss Mosses are small, non-vascular plant, non-vascular flowerless plants in the taxonomic phylum, division Bryophyta (, ) ''sensu stricto''. Bryophyta (''sensu lato'', Wilhelm Philippe Schimper, Schimp. 1879) may also refer to the parent group bryo ...

belonging to the family

Dicranaceae Dicranaceae is a family of haplolepideous mosses ( Dicranidae) in class Bryopsida. Species within this family are dioicous. Genera in this family include '' Dicranum'', '' Dicranoloma'', and '' Mitrobryum''. Classification The family Dicranac ...

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

cosmopolitan distribution In biogeography, a cosmopolitan distribution is the range of a taxon that extends across most or all of the surface of the Earth, in appropriate habitats; most cosmopolitan species are known to be highly adaptable to a range of climatic and en ...

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

holotype A holotype (Latin: ''holotypus'') is a single physical example (or illustration) of an organism used when the species (or lower-ranked taxon) was formally described. It is either the single such physical example (or illustration) or one of s ...

. ''Dicranella heteromalla'' possesses a structure 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 un ...

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. ''Dicranaceae (Dicranales)'', specifically ''D. heteromalla,'' appears to be an important moss host for '' B. fulva'', a necrotrophic parasite that causes tissue bleaching. Selected species: * '' Dicranella acroclada'' Cardot, 1915 * '' Dicranella heteromalla'' (Hedw.) Schimp * '' Dicranella lorentzii'' (previously known as ''Aongstroemia lorentzi'') * '' Dicranella staphylina'' Whitehouse, 1965 * '' Dicranella varia''

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q712266 Dicranaceae Moss genera