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Lorentziella C. Müller Hal., 1879.

Only two California mosses have spores large enough to be seen with the naked eye (100 µm). These are Lorentziella, which (appropriately enough) belongs to the family Gigaspermaceae (“giant spores”) and Archidium. Both these plants appear to be ephemerals of barren soil in winter and early spring, and they have essentially sessile and cleistocarpous capsules. (The idea of ephemeral mosses is discussed under Archidium.) The capsules of both are hidden in the perichaetial leaves, and can usually be seen only by combing a finger across the clone. Our species of Lorentziella has ovate-lanceolate leaves typically bleached in the distal 1/2 and resembling Bryum argenteum. In contrast, our species of Archidium has lanceolate leaves not at all bleached.
see key to Acaulon Etc.

Species included:
Lorentziella imbricata (Mitten) Brotherus

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