Andreaeales ( Lantern moss)

Characteristic feature
• Protonema thallose, adult gametophore small, dark brown or reddish and brittle
• Internally stem shows uniform cells, perichaetial leaves large, erect and convolute
• Archesporium and columella originate from endothecium
• Wall of the capsule without spongy photosynthetic tissue, seta short, replaced functionally by pseusopodium.
• Presence of biseriate rhizoids
• The order has single family Andreaeaceae and two genera Andreaea, containing about 100 species, and the
genus Acroschisma.
• An additional genus Neuroloma has been renamed as a species of Andreaea.
• all members of this class are autoicous, meaning that both the female and male reproductive organs occur in
separate clusters on the same gametophyte.
• The lantern mosses are a basal group of mosses commonly found growing on exposed rock surfaces.
• They are able to cling to the rocks by their multicellular rhizoids, which dwell into tiny cracks on the rock surface
and anchor the plant.
• As in most mosses, the leaves of the lantern mosses usually have a costa, or multilayered central supporting
strand, though some species do not. The rest of the leaf is a single layer of cells, so that every cell is in close
contact with the environment.
• Mature lantern mosses grow as clumps of small reddish to blackish brown plants.
• The dark pigments are located in the cell walls, and may help to reduce light damage caused by exposure in
their rocky habitats -- most mosses require lower light levels for successful photosynthesis than other plants.
• In addition to protonemata differences, lantern mosses also release their spores differently.
• Most mosses produce a stalked capsule whose top falls off to release the spores, and a ring of flexible teeth
around the opening to regulate spore release.
• The capsules of lantern mosses have no stalk, no cap, and no teeth.
• Instead, the capsule is elevated on an extension of the plant to which it is attached.
• This gametophytic extension is called a pseudopodium, or "false foot", and it pushes the capsule upwards so
that spores may be dispersed further.
• The sporangium has four (or more) lines of dehiscence, with the tips of the intervening segments remaining
attached to one another at the “polar” ends.
• A short columella ("little column") in the center of the capsule keeps the capsule wall from collapsing too far.
• The resulting structure is reminiscent of a lantern, hence members of this class are popularly referred to as the
“lantern mosses”.
Genus Andreaea 

• Plants dark green to black, small to large, often in dense turf.

• Stems erect, irregularly branched, bearing rhizoids at base; central strand absent.
• Leaves are spirally arranged in 3 rows – subulate to ovate, straight to curved
• Young leaves are green but mature ones are orange , deep purple, dark brown or black in color.
• Presence of two types of rhizoids
a) Cylindrical , multicellular growing into rock crevices
b) Flat plate like spreading over rock surfaces
• Axis does not exhibit any marked internal differentiation, all cells are alike but the outer layer cells
are small, thick walled and dark colored
Life cycle and reproduction- Sexual reproduction
• Most species are monoecious but sex organs develop on different branches.
• Antheridia and archegonia are interspersed with paraphyses. Development is exogenous
• Mature antheridium has along stalk and ellipsoidal body while archegonium has a short stalk, swollen venter and a
long neck.
Sporophyte
• Fertilization results in the formation of diploid zygote.
• Its divides and redivides to form mass of cells which can be distinguished into outer amphithecium and inner
endothecium.
• Amphithecium forms wall of capsule while cells of endothecium undergo periclinal divisions and gets differentiated
into outer endothecium which forms sporogenous tissue and inner endothecium forms sterile columella.
• Archesporium over arches the columella. Archesporium forms spore mother cell which undergoes meiosis to form
four spores.
Mature Sporophyte
• It has nearly ovoid capsule and a swollen foot.
• Foot becomes embedded in apical tissue
• Seta is represented by a narrow constriction. Its function is performed by the apex of female shoot which
elongates to form pseudopodium , foot is embedded in it. Venter produces the calyptra.
• This basal part together with the swollen apex of the shoot forms vaginula.
• As capsule elongates the venter (calyptra) gets ruptured at the base. The terminal part of calyptra is attached
at the apex of the capsule forming a hood like structure.
• Wall of capsule is 3-8 layered thick. Outer most layer is thick except at the four line of dehiscence.
• The four valves remain united at the base and apex.
Germination of Spores
• Spores germinate under favourable conditions to produce filamentous structure which may expand into
protonema on which buds are formed which develop into leafy plant.