Genera: 5; 21 species.
Region: northern and southern hemisphere; worldwide.
Habitat: moist to wet; temperate to arctic and antarctic; tropical-montane areas.
BotanyMoss; often large; golden to brown or reddish.
Stem: cross-section has a central strand; leaf-like pseudoparaphyllia are present.
Leaves: straight or sickle-shaped; smooth or wrinkled; rib is simple and usually long; cells of the leaf centre are linear; leaf wing cells are usually differentiated, often inflated and hyaline.
Capsule: horizontal, curved, cylindrical; dioecious or autoecious; seta is elongated and smooth.
Chromosome number: n = 10, 11, 20-22 or 24.
TaxonomyCalliergonaceae were traditionally assigned to the family
Amblystegiaceae. Based on molecular data, they were separated from this and placed in the new family
Calliergonaceae.