| The spore fruit is more highly developed than in the liverworts, but never contains elaters. |
| Elaters simple or branched, often geniculate, more or less heteromorphous, the fibres wanting or indistinct. |
| The sporogonium has a small foot, but the sterile cells among the spores do not develop into elaters. |
| In the higher forms a sterile foot and seta is present, and sterile cells or elaters occur with the spores. |
| The elaters are never fusiform, the apices always abrupt in their acumination, and the sculpture irregular and uneven. |
