Splachnaceae
Autoicous (not in Victoria), dioicous or rarely synoicous (not in Victoria). Asexual reproduction occasionally by filamentous gemmae on protonema or rhizoids (not observed in Victoria). Stems with a well-defined central strand. Leaves spirally arranged, monomorphic; costa strong, single, ending in apical half to long-excurrent; margins entire to serrate, sometimes bordered (not in Victoria); laminal cells longer than wide, smooth; alar cells not differentiated. Acrocarpous. Capsules erect or nearly so, with an elongate or highly inflated neck (hypophysis) and a smaller urn, operculate or rarely cleistocarpous (not in Victoria). Calyptra mitrate or rarely cucullate (not in Victoria), smooth, sometimes hairy (not in Victoria). Peristome single or double (not in Victoria), of 8–12 or 16 (not in Victoria) exostome teeth, rarely bifid (not in Victoria).
Six genera and around 70 species throughout the tropics to subpolar regions of the world; a single genus and species in Victoria.
Many of the species in this family, including the sole Victorian representative, frequently grow on, but are not restricted to, animal faeces or remains. These species are dispersed by flies, which are attracted to the brightly coloured apophysis and by foetid compounds released by the capsule (Koponen 1990). Once attracted to the sporophyte, sticky spores that clump together ensure that the spores adhere to the fly that will disperse the spores, often to more faeces or animal remains (Koponen & Koponen 1978; Koponen 1990).
Splachnaceae can be distinguished morphologically by the distinctive capsules that are usually erect, straight and have a well differentiated neck.
SpinningGoffinet, B. (2006). Splachnaceae. Flora of Australia 51: 173–181.
Koponen, A. (1990). Entomophily in the Splachnaceae. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 104: 115–127.
Koponen, A.; Koponen, T. (1978). Evidence of entomophily in Splachnaceae (Bryophyta). Bryophytorum Bibliotheca 13: 569–577.
