Bryol. Eur. fasc. 52–54. 1853. -- Leskea julacea Schwaegr. in Schultes, Reise Glockner 2: 263. 1804.
Plants in rather dense mats, glaucous to almost whitish, irregularly branched with the branches erect to decumbent from an almost prostrate main axis. Primary stems short and prostrate with secondary stems julaceous, to 2 cm long. Branch and stolon leaves not strongly different. Leaves to 0.5 mm, very broadly ovate to orbicular 1–1.2:1, symmetric and straight, not plicate, obtuse to slightly apiculate at apex. Margins plane or somewhat incurved near base, not decurrent, crenulate-serrulate throughout, occasionally binate serrulate or dentate near base. Median cells to 7 µm wide, 1–2: 1, very variable in size and shape, moderately thick-walled (lumen/wall ratio 6–8: 1), not pitted. At least some of the median cells prorate dorsally at distal end, occasionally on proximal end, sometimes with a single median papilla. Alar cells consistently quadrate, only gradually differentiated from median laminal cells, only moderately thick walled, smooth, to 7 µm broad, nearly opaque. Apical cells not differentiated. Costa almost absent, seldom extending more than two laminal cells above insertion. Axillary hairs to 25 µm long, 2-celled, with one basal brown cell and with a clavate distal cell to 20 µm long. Rhizoids brown, to 8 µm in diameter, smooth to verruculose, with one or a few almost unbranched arising from swollen cells at the adaxial median leaf base. Line of leaf insertion arcuate, at right angles to long axis of stem.
Dioicous with similar male and female plants. Perigonia nearly spherical, bud-like, densely cloaking the large branches. Perichaetia on prostrate axes, the bracts to 1 mm long, ecostate, convolute around the seta, deltoid triangular, 1.5: 1, dentate to ciliate on margins, sparingly prorate on median cells. Calyptra cucullate, sheathing distal 1/2 of capsule. Seta to 10 mm long, flexuose to nearly erect. Capsule yellow brown, nearly symmetric, erect to inclined, not distorted or sulcate when dry. Exothecial cells short rectangular, 1.2–1.5: 1, to 20 µm wide, with moderate wall thickening (lumen/wall ratio about 5–8: 1) and with prominent corner thickening. Stomata phaneroporous, long and vertical pored, restricted to the neck. Urn to 1 mm, oblong with a short wrinkled neck, 1.5: 1. Operculum conic, about 1/6 as long as urn. Annulus well-defined, of two rows of cells, fragmenting at capsule dehiscence. Exostome horizontally to obliquely striate below becoming smooth to lightly papillose above, yellowish, erect when dry. Exostome teeth with dorsal plate broader than ventral plate, with a prominent median commisural line, without prominent lateral processes or dorsal or ventral trabeculae. Endostome as long as exostome with basal membrane comprising 1/2 of total length, with the segments papillose, keeled and centrally perforate without cilia. Spores smooth, to 12 µm.
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