| Takakia lepidozioides | |
|---|---|
| | |
| Takakia lepidoziodes on a damp slope above Takakia Lake, Haida Gwaii | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Division: | Bryophyta |
| Subdivision: | Takakiophytina |
| Class: | Takakiopsida |
| Order: | Takakiales |
| Family: | Takakiaceae |
| Genus: | Takakia |
| Species: | T. lepidozioides |
| Binomial name | |
| Takakia lepidozioides | |
Takakia lepidozioides is a species of moss in the Takakiaceae family, one of two species of Takakia .
It is characterized by its tiny bifid leaves in which each segment is only a few cells wide, conspicuous rhizomous shoots, and long leafless stolon shoots which facilitate the colonization of bare areas. A very unusual feature is the lack of male plants within the species, which are thought to have become extinct during an ice age. Takakia lepidozioides have been found to be a highly adaptive moss. Over the past 65 million years, there have been extreme changes in the climate, however, several molecular adaptations have been observed in this species. [2]