Fissidens asplenioides
Fissidens ventricosus
asplenium fissidens moss
fissidens moss
unbranched and sparingly branched;
axillary hyaline nodules weak;
central strand present.
unbranched and branched;
axillary hyaline nodules absent;
central strand weak.
in as many as 25 pairs, often undulate, mostly lingulate, rounded to obtuse to broadly acute, sometimes apiculate, to 4 × 0.5 mm;
dorsal lamina narrowed proximally, ending before or at insertion, not decurrent;
vaginant laminae 1/2–3/4 the leaf length, unequal, minor lamina of most leaves rounded and free distally, or narrowed distally and ending on or near costa;
margin ± entire to crenulate-serrulate, sometimes unevenly so distally, elimbate except for a weak limbidium in the proximal parts of vaginant laminae, limbidial cells 1-stratose;
costa ending several cells before apex, oblongifolius-type, distal part of leaf in transverse section showing enlarged cells arranged in a single row;
laminal cells of dorsal and ventral laminae 1-stratose, distinct, smooth, lenticularly thickened but appearing bulging, firm-walled, irregularly hexagonal, 7–12 µm long;
juxtacostal and interior proximal cells of vaginant laminae 1-stratose, smooth, plane, quadrate to ± oblong, larger;
medial marginal cells of vaginant laminae ± elongate, oriented obliquely.
as many as 35 pairs, lanceolate to oblong-lingulate, acute to obtuse-apiculate; to 5 × 0.9 mm;
dorsal lamina narrowed proximally, ending at insertion, not decurrent;
vaginant laminae 1/2–2/3 leaf length, equal;
margin ± entire, limbate on all laminae, limbidium reaching apex or ending a few cells before apex and a few cells above insertion of dorsal lamina, limbidial cells 3- to 6-stratose;
costa ± percurrent, bryoides-type;
laminal cells 1-stratose, or variably 2-stratose, smooth, slightly bulging, firm-walled, irregularly quadrate to hexagonal, 8–13 µm, ± twice as deep as wide.
to 6 mm.
stout, to 3 mm, geniculate.
dioicous;
perigonia and perichaetia on elongate stems;
naked archegonia at times in axils of distal leaves.
probably rhizautoicous;
perigonia not seen;
perichaetia on elongate stems.
theca ± erect, radially symmetric to slightly arcuate, bilaterally symmetric, to 1.5 mm;
peristome taxifolius-type;
operculum ± as long as theca.
theca emergent, erect, radially symmetric, to 1.2 mm;
peristome bryoides-type;
operculum 0.4 mm.
cucullate, smooth, 1–1.7 µm. Spores 7.5–12 µm.
not seen.
23–40 µm.
1–2 per perichaetium, orange-red.
1–2 per perichaetium.
Fissidens asplenioides
Fissidens ventricosus
Fissidens asplenioides, usually a robust species, is recognized by leaves typically curled tightly inward from the tips when dry, a minor lamina that in most leaves is rounded distally and attached more or less only along costa, lenticularly thickened dorsal and ventral laminal cells, elongate medial marginal cells of the vaginant laminae oriented obliquely, and oblongifolius-type costa which in the distal part of the leaf in transverse section shows a single row of enlarged cells. The oblongifolius-type costa, found in F. asplenioides and F. santa-clarensis, is unique to sect. Amblyothallia of subg. Pachyfissidens (R. A. Pursell and M. A. Bruggeman-Nannenga 2004). Subterranean, multicellular, irregularly globose, rhizoidal gemmae have been reported in Macaronesian specimens of F. asplenioides.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Fissidens ventricosus occurs along the Pacific Coast of North America and at a disjunct site in northern Idaho (see map in R. R. Ireland and W. B. Schofield 1967). It is distinguished by its aquatic habitat, strongly limbate leaves, variably 2-stratose laminal cells, short, thick, geniculate seta, and emergent capsule. Plants usually become black and covered with diatoms. The species might be confused with F. rigidulus Hooker f. & Wilson, but the latter, found in wet sites in the Americas from Chile north to Mexico but not known in the United States, has much smaller laminal cells and a long seta characteristic of terrestrial species. The calyptra of F. ventricosus is cucullate according to Ireland and Schofield.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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