Apa Sherpa: …record was later tied by Phurba Tashi Sherpa (2013) and Kami Rita Sherpa (2017), and the latter broke it in 2018. Apa announced his retirement from high-altitude climbing in 2012, but he stayed active in the Himalayas. In January–April of that year he participated in a 99-day trek through that…

Roma: …that also consulted with the phuri dai, a senior woman in the band. The phuri dai’s influence was strong, particularly in regard to the fate of the women and children, and seemed to rest much on the evident earning power and organization of the women as a group within the…

Phuthaditjhaba, town, northeastern Free State province, South Africa. It was the capital of the territory formerly designated by South Africa as the nonindependent Bantustan of Qwaqwa. Phuthaditjhaba lies near the merger point of the Free State–Lesotho borders. The inhabitants of the town are

Taksin was a Thai general, conqueror, and later king (1767–82) who reunited Thailand, or Siam, after its defeat at the hands of the Myanmar (Burmese) in 1767. Of Chinese-Thai parentage, Taksin became the protégé of a Thai nobleman who enrolled him in the royal service. In 1764 he gained the rank of

Vajrapāṇi, in Mahāyāna Buddhist mythology, one of the celestial bodhisattvas (“Buddhas-to-be”), the manifestation of the self-born Buddha Akṣobhya. Vajrapāṇi (Sanskrit: Thunderbolt-Bearer) is believed to be the protector of the nāgas (half-man, half-serpent deities) and sometimes assumes the shape

blue-green algae: …yellowish carotenoids, the blue pigment phycobilin, and, in some species, the red pigment phycoerythrin. The combination of phycobilin and chlorophyll produces the characteristic blue-green colour from which these organisms derive their popular name. Because of the other pigments, however, many species are actually green, brown, yellow, black, or red.

lichen: …classified by the ratio of phycobiont cells (i.e., cells of the photosynthetic partner) to mycobiont cells (i.e., cells of the fungus). The homoeomerous type of thallus consists of numerous algal cells distributed among a lesser number of fungal cells, while the heteromerous thallus has a predominance of fungal cells.

algae: Ecological and commercial importance: …walls of many seaweeds contain phycocolloids (algal colloids) that can be extracted by hot water. The three major phycocolloids are alginates, agars, and carrageenans. Alginates are extracted primarily from brown seaweeds, and agar and carrageenan are extracted from red seaweeds. These phycocolloids are polymers of chemically modified sugar molecules, such…

algae: Photosynthesis and light-absorbing pigments: …which appear either blue (phycocyanins) or red (phycoerythrins), are found in red algae and cryptomonads.

sea dragon: …or Glauert’s, sea dragon (Phycodurus eques) is found from Western Australia to western Victoria, whereas the ruby sea dragon (Phyllopteryx dewysea) occurs in waters near Perth, Western Australia, and in the Recherche Archipelago along Western Australia’s southern coast. Weedy and leafy sea dragons generally live at depths of between…

algae: Photosynthesis and light-absorbing pigments: …blue (phycocyanins) or red (phycoerythrins), are found in red algae and cryptomonads.

phycology, the study of algae, a large heterogeneous group of chiefly aquatic plants ranging in size from microscopic forms to species as large as shrubs or trees. The discipline is of immediate interest to humans because of algae’s importance in ecology. Certain algae, especially planktonic (i.e.,

Phycomycetes, an obsolete name formerly used to describe lower fungi in the classes Chytridiomycetes, Hyphochytridiomycetes, Plasmodiophoromycetes, Oomycetes, Zygomycetes, and

algae, members of a group of predominantly aquatic photosynthetic organisms of the kingdom Protista. Algae have many types of life cycles, and they range in size from microscopic Micromonas species to giant kelps that reach 60 metres (200 feet) in length. Their photosynthetic pigments are more

Coleoptera: Annotated classification: Family Phycosecidae Few species; examples Phycosecis, Alfieriella; in Australia, Asia, Africa. Family Trogossitidae (bark-gnawing beetles) About 500 species, mostly tropical; vary in shape and habits; sometimes in stored products; example Tenebroides.

poison: Moneran toxins: …strains of a species are toxic; other strains of the same species are not. Water blooms of blue-green algae have been responsible for the death of fishes, waterfowl, cattle, horses, swine, and other animals. Blue-green algae have also been implicated as causes of human intoxications.

Duncan Phyfe was a Scottish-born American furniture designer, a leading exponent of the Neoclassical style, sometimes considered the greatest of all American cabinetmakers. The Fife family went to the United States in 1784, settling in Albany, New York, where Duncan worked as an apprentice

phyi-mchod, in Tibetan Buddhist ceremonies, the eight offerings of external worship, presented before the tranquil deities. They are basically the eight ways of honouring a distinguished guest—by offering water for drinking, water for washing, flowers, incense, lamps, perfume, food (the sacrificial

phylactery, in Jewish religious practice, one of two small black leather cube-shaped cases containing Torah texts written on parchment, which, in accordance with Deuteronomy 6:8 (and similar statements in Deuteronomy 11:18 and Exodus 13:9, 16), are to be worn by male Jews 13 years of age and older

moss animal: Annotated classification: Class Phylactolaemata Zooids basically cylindrical, with a crescentic lophophore and an epistome (hollow flap overhanging mouth); body wall non-calcareous, muscular, used for everting the lophophore; coelom continuous between zooids; new zooids arise by replication of polypides; special dormant buds (statoblasts) are produced; zooids monomorphic; exclusively freshwater;…

moss animal: Annotated classification: Class Phylactolaemata Zooids basically cylindrical, with a crescentic lophophore and an epistome (hollow flap overhanging mouth); body wall non-calcareous, muscular, used for everting the lophophore; coelom continuous between zooids; new zooids arise by replication of polypides; special dormant buds (statoblasts) are produced; zooids monomorphic; exclusively freshwater;…

phyle, any of several “tribes” that formed the largest political subgroups within all Dorian and most Ionian Greek city-states in antiquity. The phylae were at one and the same time kinship groups embracing all citizens; corporations with their own officials and priests; and local units for

Melos: …School, however, was that of Phylakopi, a site near Apollonia, the second port of Melos, on the promontory of Pláka. Phylakopi was a flourishing settlement at the time of the late Bronze Age eruption of neighboring Thera. Evidence discovered at Phylakopi in 1974 tended to reverse earlier assumptions that the…

Polybius: Conception of history: …he attacks the Greek historian Phylarchus for practices that might be called unprofessional today, Polybius states:

Philaster, romantic tragicomedy by Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher, produced about 1608–10. The play solidified their joint literary reputation. The drama’s title character is the legitimate heir to the throne of Sicily. He and Arethusa, daughter of the usurper to the throne, are in love, but

phyle, any of several “tribes” that formed the largest political subgroups within all Dorian and most Ionian Greek city-states in antiquity. The phylae were at one and the same time kinship groups embracing all citizens; corporations with their own officials and priests; and local units for

Homo erectus: Theories of gradual change: …the evolutionary sequence are called chronospecies. The boundaries between chronospecies are almost impossible to determine by means of any objective anatomic or functional criteria; thus, all that is left is the guesswork of drawing a boundary at a moment in time. Such a chronological boundary may have to be drawn…

evolution: Evolution within a lineage and by lineage splitting: Evolution can take place by anagenesis, in which changes occur within a lineage, or by cladogenesis, in which a lineage splits into two or more separate lines. Anagenetic evolution has doubled the size of the human cranium over the course of two million years; in the lineage of the horse…

Eastern Orthodoxy: In Bulgaria: The council condemned phyletism—the national or ethnic principle in church organization—and excommunicated the Bulgarians, who were certainly not alone guilty of phyletism. This schism lasted until 1945, when a reconciliation took place with full recognition of Bulgarian autocephaly within the limits of the Bulgarian state. A Bulgarian patriarch…

fungus: Annotated classification: Order Phyllachorales (incertae sedis; not placed in any subclass) Parasitic on plants and saprotrophic on salt marsh plants; some produce perithecia shielded inside a stroma, others do not produce a stroma; example genus is Phyllachora. Order Trichosphaeriales (incertae sedis; not placed in any subclass) Pathogenic on…

Malpighiales: Phyllanthaceae and Picrodendraceae: The Phyllanthaceae and Picrodendraceae families, which were formerly associated with Euphorbiaceae, share explosive capsules, with two ovules per chamber.

Phyllanthus, very large genus of flowering trees, shrubs, and herbs of the spurge family (Euphorbiaceae) that contains among its 650 species some of ornamental value and others with interesting botanical adaptations. Some have flattened, green stems, called phyllodes, that function as leaves.

Phyllanthus: Otaheite gooseberry (P. acidus, or Cicca disticha) is a small Indian tree bearing dangling clusters of light-yellow or green, vertically ribbed, acid-sour fruits, nearly 2 cm (0.8 inch) in diameter; the fruit is used for making preserves. The long, deciduous twigs are lined with rows…

Phyllanthus: …100 tiny alternating leaves, the emblic, or myrobalan (P. emblica), gives the impression of a hemlock. Its acid-tasting yellow or reddish fruits are prescribed in traditional Indian medicine as a tonic. The leaves and bark contain tannin, utilized for tanning and as a colour concentrator in dyeing. The dried fruit…

Phyllanthus: The delicately branched Polynesian shrub, snowbush (Breynia nivosa, formerly P. nivosus), is widely grown in the tropical gardens and as a greenhouse plant in the north for its gracefully slender branches and delicate green and white leaves (pink and red in B. nivosa, variety roseopicta).

bryophyte: General features: Leaflike structures, known as phyllids, are arranged in rows of two or three or more around a shoot or may be irregularly arranged (e.g., the liverwort Takakia). The shoot may or may not appear flattened. The phyllids are usually attached by an expanded base and are mainly one cell…

leaf insect, (family Phylliidae), any of more than 50 species of flat, usually green insects that are known for their striking leaflike appearance. Leaf insects feed on plants and typically inhabit densely vegetated areas. Their natural range extends from islands in the Indian Ocean, across parts

The Mary Tyler Moore Show: …successful spin-offs, including Rhoda (1974–78), Phyllis (1975–77), and Lou Grant (1977–82). Retrospective specials included Mary Tyler Moore: The 20th Anniversary Show (1991) and The Mary Tyler Moore Reunion (2002).

phyllite, fine-grained metamorphic rock formed by the reconstitution of fine-grained, parent sedimentary rocks, such as mudstones or shales. Phyllite has a marked fissility (a tendency to split into sheets or slabs) due to the parallel alignment of platy minerals; it may have a sheen on its

baklava: …Middle Eastern rich pastry of phyllo (filo) dough and nuts. Phyllo is a simple flour-and-water dough that is stretched to paper thinness and cut into sheets, a process so exacting that it is frequently left to commercial manufacturers. Baklava is among the most common sweets to serve for special occasions…

frog and toad: Skin toxins: Dendrobates and Phyllobates are small, diurnal frogs living in Central and South America that are brilliantly coloured solid red, yellow, or orange or patterned with bold stripes or crossbars. These bright patterns are believed to act as warning colours to ward off predators. One nonpoisonous South American…

crustacean: Annotated classification: Subclass Phyllocarida Early Cambrian to present. †Order Archaeostraca Devonian to Triassic. †Order Hoplostraca Carboniferous. Order Leptostraca Permian to present; bivalved carapace

Triassic Period: Invertebrates: …more complex suture lines, the phylloceratids, also arose in the Early Triassic. They are regarded as the earliest true ammonites and gave rise to all post-Triassic ammonites, even though Triassic ammonoids as a whole almost became extinct at the end of the period.

celery-top pine: …performed mainly by deciduous leathery phylloclades (flattened leaf-like branches) that resemble celery leaflets.

Podocarpaceae: In the genus Phyllocladus, the foliar leaves are replaced by flattened branchlets (phylloclades) resembling leaves. The staminate, or pollen-bearing, cones are borne in a terminal or axillary position on leafy twigs; the ovulate, or seed-bearing, cones at maturity become fleshy and sometimes brightly coloured and surmount the fleshy…

celery-top pine, (Phyllocladus aspleniifolius), slow-growing ornamental and timber conifer (family Podocarpaceae), native to temperate rainforests of Tasmania at elevations from sea level to 750 metres (2,500 feet). The dense golden-brown wood is used in fine furniture. The tree is shrubby at high

annelid: Annotated classification: Order Phyllodocida Free-moving; a large group characterized by a protrusible proboscis that may or may not be armed with chitinous jaws, teeth, or papillae; prostomium with 1 to 5 antennae, with palpi, and with 0 to 3 pairs of eyes; parapodia well developed into 1 or…

Phylloglossum, a plant genus of the order Lycopodiales (division Lycopodiophyta, i.e., club mosses), containing one species, P. drummondii, native to Australia and New Zealand. It has a relatively high number of chromosomes. Phylloglossum has a bulblike underground base, a few spike-shaped,

club moss: Major genera and species: The pygmy club moss (Phylloglossum drummondii) is the only member of its genus and is found in parts of Australia and New Zealand.

Phyllograptus, genus of graptolites, an extinct group of small colonial marine animals related to the primitive chordates, readily distinguished by its characteristic leaflike form and structure. Various species of Phyllograptus are excellent guide, or index, fossils for Ordovician rocks and time

arthrodire: Members of the genus Phyllolepis lost most of their head armour. They were formerly considered ostracoderms. The ptyctodonts, relatives of the arthrodires, lived in the sea and possibly fed upon mollusks.

frog and toad: Annotated classification: …4 subfamilies: Pelodryadinae (Australo-Papuan region), Phyllomedusinae (Central and South America), Hemiphractinae (Central and South America), and Hylinae (North and South America, Europe, Asia except Indian subregion, and Africa north of Sahara). Family Leptodactylidae Eocene to present; 8 presacral vertebrae; pectoral girdle arciferal; maxillary teeth present;

cataclastite: Phyllonites are like mylonites in that they are fine-grained and are shaped by deformation, but in phyllonites there has been a reconstitution of the minerals. Some of the parent-rock minerals are re-formed with a different orientation, and new minerals are formed in response to the…

June bug, (genus Phyllophaga), genus of nearly 300 species of plant-eating beetles that commonly appear in the Northern Hemisphere during warm spring evenings and are attracted to lights. The heavy-bodied June bugs vary from 12 to 25 mm (0.5 to 1 inch) and have shiny wing covers (elytra). They feed

sloth, (suborder Folivora), tree-dwelling mammal noted for its slowness of movement. All six living species are limited to the lowland tropical forests of South and Central America, where they can be found high in the forest canopy sunning, resting, or feeding on leaves. Although two-toed sloths

sea dragon: …to western Victoria, whereas the ruby sea dragon (Phyllopteryx dewysea) occurs in waters near Perth, Western Australia, and in the Recherche Archipelago along Western Australia’s southern coast. Weedy and leafy sea dragons generally live at depths of between 3 and 25 meters (between about 10 and 82 feet), whereas ruby…

sea dragon: …or common, sea dragon (Phyllopteryx taeniolatus) has the largest geographic range, which extends from Western Australia to Tasmania and New South Wales. The leafy, or Glauert’s, sea dragon (Phycodurus eques) is found from Western Australia to western Victoria, whereas the ruby sea dragon

chiffchaff, (Phylloscopus collybita), warbler (family Sylviidae, order Passeriformes) of western Eurasia, named for its song. This greenish brown bird, 11 cm (4.5 inches) long, with pale eye stripe, restlessly hunts insects in trees and makes a domed nest near the

phyllosilicate, compound with a structure in which silicate tetrahedrons (each consisting of a central silicon atom surrounded by four oxygen atoms at the corners of a tetrahedron) are arranged in sheets. Examples are talc and mica. Three of the oxygen atoms of each tetrahedron are shared with

eelgrass: Other eelgrasses: Surf grasses (Phyllospadix) are found in coastal marine waters of the temperate North Pacific. They are commonly confused with true eelgrasses, to which they are closely related.

Phyllostomidae, family of approximately 150 species of tropical and subtropical bats known collectively as American leaf-nosed bats. Phyllostomid bats are native to the New World from the United States to Argentina and are found in habitats ranging from forests to deserts. Their features vary, but

Phyllostomidae, family of approximately 150 species of tropical and subtropical bats known collectively as American leaf-nosed bats. Phyllostomid bats are native to the New World from the United States to Argentina and are found in habitats ranging from forests to deserts. Their features vary, but

boxwood: … of the family Salicaceae and Phyllostylon brasiliensis of the family Ulmaceae, and a number of woods from Australian trees in the genera Eucalyptus and Tristania (family Myrtaceae), Alyxia (family Apocynaceae), and Murraya (family Rutaceae).

number game: Fibonacci numbers: …the botanical phenomenon known as phyllotaxis. Thus, the arrangement of the whorls on a pinecone or pineapple, of petals on a sunflower, and of branches from some stems follows a sequence of Fibonacci numbers or the series of fractions

flea beetle: Major species: The striped flea beetle (Phyllotreta striolata) infests cabbage and similar plants. The cucumber beetle (Epitrix cucumeris) feeds on cucumbers and melon vines, E. hirtipennis attacks tobacco plants, and E. fuscula eats tomatoes

phylloxera, Any of numerous, chiefly North American, insect species (genus Phylloxera, order Homoptera), many of which are serious pests of plants. Phylloxera form galls on and can defoliate trees, especially hickory and pecan. See also grape

grape phylloxera, (Phylloxera vitifoliae), a small greenish-yellow insect (order Homoptera), highly destructive to grape plants in Europe and the western United States. Their sucking of fluid from grapevines results in formation of small galls on leaves and nodules on roots, which result in

homopteran: …includes aphids or plant lice, phylloxerans, coccids, scales, whiteflies, and mealybugs.

homopteran: …includes aphids or plant lice, phylloxerans, coccids, scales, whiteflies, and mealybugs.

cnidarian: Reproduction and life cycles: …and flattened, protective individuals called bracts or phyllozooids.

John Skelton: …poems from this period are Phyllyp Sparowe, ostensibly a lament for the death of a young lady’s pet but also a lampoon of the liturgical office for the dead; and Ware the Hawke, an angry attack on an irreverent hunting priest who had flown his hawk into Skelton’s church. Skelton…

animal behaviour: Phylogenetic grading: A second approach to inferring evolutionary history may be referred to as “phylogenetic grading.” The approach involves making detailed comparisons among extant species with respect to a particular type of behaviour and then arraying the various forms of this behaviour from least to…

Willi Hennig: …the new approach in his Grundzüge einer Theorie der phylogenetischen Systematik (1950; Phylogenetic Systematics, 1979) and sought to show that it integrated the methods and aims of biology with those of such disciplines as paleontology, geology, and biogeography (i.e., the study of the distribution and dispersal of organisms).

evolution: Maximum parsimony methods: …parsimony methods are related to cladistics, a very formalistic theory of taxonomic classification, extensively used with morphological and paleontological data. The critical feature in cladistics is the identification of derived shared traits, called synapomorphic traits. A synapomorphic trait is shared by some taxa but not others because the former inherited…

philosophy of biology: Taxonomy: Known as phylogenetic taxonomy, or cladism, this approach infers shared ancestry on the basis of uniquely shared historical (or derived) characteristics, called “synapomorphies.” Suppose, for example, that there is an original species marked by character A, and from this three species eventually evolve. The original species first…

phylogenetic tree, a diagram showing the evolutionary interrelations of a group of organisms derived from a common ancestral form. The ancestor is in the tree “trunk”; organisms that have arisen from it are placed at the ends of tree “branches.” The distance of one group from the other groups

phylogenetics, in biology, the study of the ancestral relatedness of groups of organisms, whether alive or extinct. Classification of the natural world into meaningful and useful categories has long been a basic human impulse and is systematically evident at least since time of ancient Greece.

phylogeny, the history of the evolution of a species or group, especially in reference to lines of descent and relationships among broad groups of organisms. Fundamental to phylogeny is the proposition, universally accepted in the scientific community, that plants or animals of different species

ambush bug: Members of Phymata are among the most-common North American representatives; they frequently are seen lurking on garden plants.

ambush bug, (subfamily Phymatinae), any of 291 species of bugs (order Heteroptera) that are most abundant in the tropical Americas and Asia and that hide on flowers or other plant parts, from which they ambush their prey. When prey approaches closely enough, the ambush bug grasps it with its front

ambush bug, (subfamily Phymatinae), any of 291 species of bugs (order Heteroptera) that are most abundant in the tropical Americas and Asia and that hide on flowers or other plant parts, from which they ambush their prey. When prey approaches closely enough, the ambush bug grasps it with its front

bryophyte: Annotated classification: Order Phymatocerotales Consists of a single family and a single genus (Phymatoceros) with 2 species. Division Bryophyta (mosses) Small, mostly nonvascular, archegoniate plants with a dominant, photosynthetic, free-living gametophyte; sporophyte has little or no chlorophyll and is

plant disease: Soil type: Phymatotrichum root rot attacks cotton and some 2,000 other plants in the southwestern United States. This fungus is serious only in black alkaline soils—pH 7.3 or above—that are low in organic matter. Fusarium wilt disease, which attacks a wide range of cultivated plants, causes more…

frog and toad: Egg laying and hatching: …toadlike leptodactylids of the genus Physalaemus breed in small, shallow pools. Amplexus is axillary, and the pair floats on the water; as the female exudes the eggs, the male emits semen and kicks vigorously with his hind legs. The result is a frothy mixture of water, air, eggs, and semen,…

tungara frog, (Physalaemus pustulosus), terrestrial, toadlike frog common in moist, lowland sites from Mexico to northern South America. The frog is cryptically coloured, its rough brown skin matching the leaf litter in which it lives. Although a mere 25–35 mm (1–1.4 inches) in length, this small

Portuguese man-of-war, (Physalia physalis), species of jellylike marine animals of the order Siphonophora (class Hydrozoa, phylum Cnidaria) noted for its colonial body, floating habits, and powerful stings. It is often mistaken for a jellyfish. The Portuguese man-of-war’s prominent physical feature

Portuguese man-of-war, (Physalia physalis), species of jellylike marine animals of the order Siphonophora (class Hydrozoa, phylum Cnidaria) noted for its colonial body, floating habits, and powerful stings. It is often mistaken for a jellyfish. The Portuguese man-of-war’s prominent physical feature

Portuguese man-of-war: …sources classify a regional form—the bluebottle, also called the Indo-Pacific man-of-war—that occurs in the Pacific and Indian oceans near Australia as a separate species called P. utriculus.

ground cherry, (genus Physalis), genus of some 80 species of small herbaceous plants in the nightshade family (Solanaceae), the majority of which are native to the New World. The berries of some ground cherry species are edible, and several species are commercially important as food crops,

ground cherry: Chinese lantern (P. alkekengi) is grown as an ornamental.

tomatillo, (Physalis philadelphica), annual species of ground cherry of the nightshade family (Solanaceae) and its tart edible fruits. The plant is native to Mexico and Central America, where it has been an important food crop for millennia. The fruits can be eaten raw and are sometimes made into

Cape gooseberry, (Physalis peruviana), species of ground cherry in the nightshade family (Solanaceae) and its edible fruit. The plant is native to Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru and was widely grown in South Africa beginning in the 19th century, which is likely the source of its common name. It is

tomatillo, (Physalis philadelphica), annual species of ground cherry of the nightshade family (Solanaceae) and its tart edible fruits. The plant is native to Mexico and Central America, where it has been an important food crop for millennia. The fruits can be eaten raw and are sometimes made into

ground cherry: …or goldenberry (Physalis peruviana); the husk tomato (P. pruinosa); and the tomatillo (P. philadelphica). Chinese lantern (P. alkekengi) is grown as an ornamental.

Physarum, large genus of true slime molds, accounting for about 20 percent of the species of the phylum Mycetozoa (Myxomycetes). Physarum polycephalum, a fast-growing species, is the most notable; it has been used widely in physiological experiments in protoplasmic streaming and nuclear behaviour.

Physarum: Physarum cinereum, which forms an ashy-gray coating on lawn grasses under special conditions of moisture and humidity, is unsightly but harmless and soon disappears.

Physarum: Physarum polycephalum, a fast-growing species, is the most notable; it has been used widely in physiological experiments in protoplasmic streaming and nuclear behaviour. Physarum cinereum, which forms an ashy-gray coating on lawn grasses under special conditions of moisture and humidity, is unsightly but harmless and…

urn moss, any plant of the genus Physcomitrium (subclass Bryidae), characterized by urn-shaped or top-shaped capsules (spore cases) with lobed, hoodlike coverings. Fewer than 10 of the 68 species are native to North America. The most common is P. pyriforme, sometimes called top moss, about 2.5 cm

top moss, (Physcomitrium pyriforme), a common species of urn moss formerly known as P. turbinatum. The common name derives from the top-shaped capsules, which open by a small lid at the tip to release the spores. Physcomitrium is a genus of about 80 species in the family Funariaceae of the subclass

top moss, (Physcomitrium pyriforme), a common species of urn moss formerly known as P. turbinatum. The common name derives from the top-shaped capsules, which open by a small lid at the tip to release the spores. Physcomitrium is a genus of about 80 species in the family Funariaceae of the subclass