Pleurocarpous (Adjective)
Meaning
(of mosses) having the archegonia on short lateral branches.
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The genus Hypnum is characterized by its pleurocarpous habit, which facilitates spore dispersal in a variety of environments.
- Mosses in the division Bryophyta often display pleurocarpous growth, leading to the production of gametangia on short lateral branches.
- Pleurocarpous mosses have adapted to grow in dense colonies, increasing their chances of reproduction and spore dispersal.
- Taxonomists often use the presence of pleurocarpous growth to differentiate among closely related species of mosses.
- In pleurocarpous mosses, the short lateral branches bearing archegonia play a crucial role in facilitating cross-fertilization and genetic diversity.