First record of the family Gigaspermaceae (Bryophyta) in Brazil

Abstract Lorentziella imbricata (Mitt.) Broth. belongs to the family Gigaspermaceae and is a common plant in the subtropical regions of the Noth and South America. This plant can be characterized by presenting leafy stems arising from subterranean rhizomatous axes, pale green or often whitish leaves, and sessile large capsules with large spores. This is the first citation of the genus Lorentziella and the family Gigaspermaceae for Brazil, found during field collections in the Pampa biome, state of Rio Grande do Sul.