African moss diversity and endemism: families, in order of number of species

List of moss families of sub-Saharan Africa, compared with the whole of Africa  (excluding Macaronesia and islands south of the continent)

Click on 'endemic fam/gen' for totals of families and genera.

(Size order by number of species; data calculated 12/2003)

Sub-Saharan Africa

Africa (excl. Macaronesia and Afr4 S)

Pottiaceae 328
Hypnaceae 264
Dicranaceae 228
Orthotrichaceae 177
Sematophyllaceae 168
Bryaceae 159
Fissidentaceae 146
Bartramiaceae 125
Brachytheciaceae 108
Pilotrichaceae 85
Calymperaceae 71
Funariaceae 63
Mniaceae 51
Fabroniaceae 48
Pterobryaceae 47
Leucobryaceae 43
Entodontaceae 40
Grimmiaceae 37
Lembophyllaceae 37
Neckeraceae 37
Leskeaceae 35
Ditrichaceae 33
Racopilaceae 32
Polytrichaceae 31
Daltoniaceae 29
Bruchiaceae 28
Meteoriaceae 28
Sphagnaceae 27
Thuidiaceae 21
Amblystegiaceae 18
Andreaeaceae 14
Archidiaceae 13
Hedwigiaceae 13
Leucodontaceae 13
Ptychomitriaceae 13
Erpodiaceae 12
Plagiotheciaceae 12
Splachnaceae 12
Stereophyllaceae 12
Ephemeraceae 9
Trachypodaceae 9
Rhabdoweisiaceae 7
Rutenbergiaceae 7
Cryphaeaceae 6
Encalyptaceae 6
Hookeriaceae 6
Leptodontaceae 6
Rhachitheciaceae 6
Hylocomiaceae 5
Myriniaceae 5
Pterigynandraceae 5
Rhizogoniaceae 5
Fontinalaceae 4
Orthodontiaceae 4
Aulacomniaceae 3
Gigaspermaceae 3
Hypopterygiaceae 3
Phyllogoniaceae 3
Prionodontaceae 3
Seligeriaceae 3
Splachnobryaceae 3
Anomodontaceae 2
Catagoniaceae 2
Meesiaceae 2
Rhacocarpaceae 2
Serpotortellaceae 2
Adelotheciaceae 1
Bryobartramiaceae 1
Campyliaceae 1
Cinclidotaceae 1
Cratoneuraceae 1
Diphysciaceae 1
Eustichiaceae 1
Leucomiaceae 1
Regmatodontaceae 1
Rigodiaceae 1
Symphyodontaceae 1
Wardiaceae 1
 
 
 
 
 

Pottiaceae 479
Hypnaceae 284
Dicranaceae 277
Bryaceae 236
Orthotrichaceae 216
Fissidentaceae 178
Sematophyllaceae 174
Brachytheciaceae 166
Bartramiaceae 152
Funariaceae 97
Grimmiaceae 89
Pilotrichaceae 85
Calymperaceae 71
Mniaceae 71
Ditrichaceae 51
Fabroniaceae 51
Neckeraceae 49
Pterobryaceae 48
Polytrichaceae 45
Leskeaceae 44
Leucobryaceae 44
Entodontaceae 41
Amblystegiaceae 40
Sphagnaceae 40
Lembophyllaceae 38
Daltoniaceae 33
Racopilaceae 32
Bruchiaceae 30
Thuidiaceae 29
Meteoriaceae 28
Andreaeaceae 26
Plagiotheciaceae 19
Leucodontaceae 16
Ptychomitriaceae 16
Ephemeraceae 15
Hedwigiaceae 15
Archidiaceae 14
Erpodiaceae 12
Pterigynandraceae 12
Seligeriaceae 12
Splachnaceae 12
Stereophyllaceae 12
Encalyptaceae 11
Echinodiaceae 9
Trachypodaceae 9
Fontinalaceae 8
Rhabdoweisiaceae 8
Cryphaeaceae 7
Hookeriaceae 7
Leptodontaceae 7
Rutenbergiaceae 7
Rhachitheciaceae 6
Rhizogoniaceae 6
Aulacomniaceae 5
Hylocomiaceae 5
Myriniaceae 5
Gigaspermaceae 4
Splachnobryaceae 4
Anomodontaceae 3
Catagoniaceae 3
Cinclidotaceae 3
Hypopterygiaceae 3
Phyllogoniaceae 3
Prionodontaceae 3
Rhytidiaceae 3
Callicostaceae 2
Campyliaceae 2
Diphysciaceae 2
Myuriaceae 2
Rhacocarpaceae 2
Serpotortellaceae 2
Thamnobryaceae 2
Adelotheciaceae 1
Bryobartramiaceae 1
Cratoneuraceae 1
Eustichiaceae 1
Leucomiaceae 1
Meesiaceae 1
Ptychomniaceae 1
Regmatodontaceae 1
Rigodiaceae 1
Symphyodontaceae 1
Timmiaceae 1
Wardiaceae 1