| Schofield (1985) defined a set of thirteen general characters of mosses according to generalized (primitive) and specialized (derived) states. |
| CHARACTER | GENERALIZED | SPECIALIZED |
|
PROTONEMA
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A protonema is the initial filamentous (sometimes thalloid) gametophyte that grows from the spore of charophytes, and non-vascular embryophytes.
| THALLOSE | BRANCHED OR ABSENT |
| STEM TISSUES | LITTLE DIFFERENTIATION; OUTER CELLS THICK-WALLED, INNER CELLS THIN-WALLED | DIFFERENTIATED WITH INTERNAL
CORTEX
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Cortex is a tissue of parenchymal cells that surrounds vascular tissue.
|
| STEMS | LITTLE OR NO BRANCHING; IF SO BRANCHING PATTERN IRREGULAR | REGULAR, ELABORATE PATTERN OF BRANCHING. |
| LEAVES | THREE OR MORE RANKS |
TWO RANKED
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Two-ranked means that leaves emerge from the stem on two sides of the stem only. This does not mean that the leaves are opposite (a condition in which two leaves emerge at each node). Example, grasses are two-ranked.
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| LOCATION OF GAMETANGIA | APEX | LATERALLY BORNE |
|
RHIZOIDS
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Thread-like growths, simple or branched, which serve for absorption and anchorage.
| SMOOTH | PAPILLOSE |
|
CALYPTRA
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Small sheath of cells, derived from the archegonium, which covers the top of the capsule.
| SMOOTH, SIMPLE | ORNAMENTED OR FRINGED |
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PERISTOMAL TEETH
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Fringe of teeth around the mouth of the capsule.
| MULTICELLULAR; WHOLE CELLS | REMNANTS OF CELL WALLS |
|
SETA
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The stalk of the sporophyte capsule.
| ELONGATE | SHORT OR ABSENT |
| CONDUCTING SYSTEM IN SETA | ABSENCE (MAY BE LOST AND THUS ABSENCE COULD BE SPECIALIZED) | PRESENCE |
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STOMATA
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Pores in the leaf epidermis surrounded by a pair of guard cells. The gas exchange of leaves is controlled by the dimension of the pores.
| PHANEROPORE | CRYPTOPORE |
|
OPERCULUM
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Cap-like structure at the tip of the capsule.
| LONG-SNOUTED | BLUNT |
| CELLS IN THE EPIDERMIS OF THE JACKET | ELONGATE | ISODIAMETRIC |
