Ledermanniella

Small to fairly robust herbs, sometimes with thalloid bodies only or developing stems on which leaves and inflorescences are borne. Stems erect, branched, woody, often sparsely to densely covered with small, imbricate leaves or bracts. Leaves dimorphous: (a) floating, linear, often branching dichotomously; (b) bract-like, hard, often dentate, in many species covering the abbreviated, fertile shoots. Flowers single in axils of bract-like leaves, aggregated towards apices; spathella obovoid, apiculate, splitting laterally, apex remaining intact; flower recurved in spathella, becoming erect at anthesis, pedicelled. Perianth 0 or of 2 minute, subulate segments situated on each side of stamen(s). Stamens 1 or 2, if 2, with filaments fused nearly to apex; pollen in monads or diads. Ovary ovoid to fusiform; styles 2, subulate, papillate, usually recurved. Capsule ovoid to ellipsoid, 10-ribbed, with all ribs running entire length of capsule, opening by 2 subequal valves; one or both persistent.