Plants of the Gila Wilderness

The Entodontaceae is a family that contains only the genus Entodon in this area. Entodons are pleurocarpous mosses in loose, shiny mats. They grow on most substrates-- wood, wrotten bark, rocks & soil. The leaves are crowded and appressed when dry, though some species are complanate. The laminar cells are linear, but the alar cells are quadrate. The costa is double or lacking. The proximal exostome teeth can be smooth, papillose, or cross-striate and this feature is necessary for proper identification. The annulus can be present, deciduous, or absent. This feature is also helpful for species ID.