Dioicous. Plants in ±dense tufts or mats, 5–25 (–55) mm tall, green to yellowish green above, red-brown to brown below. Stems frequently branched. Rhizoids at stem bases. Leaves loosely twisted around stem or erect-appressed when dry, erect, open or spreading when moist, lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, 0.6–1.8 mm long, 0.2–0.3 mm wide; apex acute; base somewhat decurrent; margin plane or somewhat undulate, entire or rarely denticulate near apex, with teeth formed by part of cell; costa ending below apex; upper laminal cells ±isodiametric, 4–10 (–15) µm wide, thin- or thick-walled, with 5–8 short papillae per cell; basal laminal cells rounded-rectangular, 9–50 µm long. Gemmae occasional, small, clavate, 3-celled, with hyaline walls.

Perigonium terminal or sublateral. Perichaetial leaves lanceolate, with acute apices. Calyptra smooth. Setae 2.5–10.0 mm long. Capsules exserted, pyriform, oblong or cylindrical, 1.0–1.5 mm long, with 8 deep ribs along entire length when dry. Peristome double; exostome teeth 8, short, sometimes reduced or absent; endostome segments 8, ±reduced, hyaline. Spores 13–17 (–20) µm diameter, papillose.

The small, 3-celled gemmae are especially distinctive.

n = 11 (10 + m), cited in H.P. Ramsay, J. Hattori Bot. Lab. 74: 189 (1993).

Native.

A widespread species in New Zealand, South America, Africa and Asia. In Australia it occurs in southwestern Western Australia, South Australia, northern and southeastern Queensland, New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria and Tasmania.

Most common from sea level to 1500 m, usually epiphytic, but also found on rock. Grows on a wide range of trees and shrubs and tolerates great differences in humidity, although it is absent from the driest habitats.

Zygodon intermedius Bruch & Schimp., Bryol. Eur. 3: 41 (1838). Type: “Dusky Bay” [Dusky Sound], New Zealand, 1791, A.Menzies; holo: BM.

Taxonomic synonyms

Zygodon brownii Schwägr., Sp. Musc. Frond., Suppl. 4: 317 (1842). Type: Terra van Diemen [Tas.], R.Brown; holo: G.

Zygodon brachyodus Müll.Hal. & Hampe, in G. Hampe, Linnaea 28: 210 (1856). Type: Sealers Cove, Vic., F.Mueller; holo: BM; iso: H.

Zygodon confertus Müll.Hal., Hedwigia 37: 134 (1898). Type: "Australia meridionalis: Miss Flora Campbell in Hb. Brotheri 1889"; lecto: Vic., F.M.Campbell, H, designated by J. Lewinsky, Lindbergia 15: 132 (1989).

Zygodon hymenodontoides Müll.Hal., Hedwigia 37: 135 (1898), nom. illeg. Type: "Australia, Victoria, Gippsland ad Moe Rive: Luehmann in Hb. Melbourne 1881"; lecto: Moe River, Gippsland, Vic., J.G.W. Luehmann, H, designated by J. Lewinsky, Lindbergia 15: 132 (1989).

W.A.: Beedelup Falls, NW of Pemberton, W.A. Weber B33.579 (AD).

S.A.: Mount Lofty, D.G. Catcheside 55.28 (AD).

Qld: Killarney, I.G. Stone 14610 (MEL).

N.S.W.: Reservoir Gully, Yarrangobilly Caves, W.W. Watts 8670 (NSW).

A.C.T.: Bendora Road, Brindabella Range, W.B. Schofield 90839 & 90603 [with H. Streimann, H.P. Ramsay & M.I. Schofield] (NSW).

Vic.: Mount William, Grampians, H. Streimann 3047 (CANB).

Tas.: Mount Dobson Road, H.P. Ramsay R1862 (NSW).

J. Lewinsky, Lindbergia 15: 116, figs 27–30; 131, figs 131–153 (1990); R.D. Seppelt, The Moss Flora of Macquarie Island 212, fig. 84 (2004).

H.P. Ramsay, D.H. Vitt & J. Lewinsky-Haapasaari (2012), Australian Mosses Online 47. Orthotrichaceae. Australian Biological Resources Study, Canberra. Version16 June 2012. 

First published as:  J. Lewinsky-Haapasaari & H.P. Ramsay (2006), Orthotrichaceae: Zygodon, Fl. Australia 51: 187–244. Australian Biological Resources Study, Canberra & CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne.