Takakia

Takakia is a genus of two species of mosses known from western North America and central and eastern Asia. The genus is placed as a separate family, order and class among the mosses.

==Discovery== Takakia was discovered in the Himalayas and described by William Mitten in 1861. It was originally described simply as a new liverwort species (Lepidozia ceratophylla) within an existing genus, and it was thus long overlooked. The discovery of similar odd plants in the mid-20th century by Dr. Noriwo Takaki (1915–2006) in Japan sparked more interest. The many unusual features of these plants led to the establishment in 1958 of the species Takakia lepidozioides, in a new genus Takakia, named to honor the man who rediscovered it and recognized its unique characteristics. The species originally described by Mitten was subsequently recognized by Grolle as belonging to this new genus, and accordingly renamed Takakia ceratophylla.