Fissidens bryoides
Fissidens leptophyllus
bryoid fissidens moss, lesser pocket-moss
unbranched and branched;
axillary hyaline nodules absent;
central strand usually present.
unbranched and branched;
axillary hyaline nodules absent;
central strand absent.
as many as 20 pairs, lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate or oblong-lingulate, acute to short-acuminate or obtuse-apiculate, to 0.8–2.7 × 0.2–0.5 mm;
dorsal lamina narrowed proximally, ending at or before insertion, infrequently slightly decurrent;
vaginant laminae 1/2 leaf length, mostly equal;
margin entire but often serrulate distally, limbate on all laminae, limbidium reaching apex or ending a few cells before or partially absent to infrequently completely absent, limbidial cells 1–3-stratose;
costa excurrent to ending as many as 6 cells before apex, bryoides-type;
laminal cells 1-stratose, distinct, smooth, often slightly bulging, firm-walled, irregularly hexagonal, a few elongate, 6.5–16 µm, somewhat larger in proximal parts of vaginant laminae.
as many as 12 pairs, oblong to lingulate, broadly acute to obtuse, sometimes apiculate, to 1.4 × 0.5 mm;
dorsal lamina narrowed proximally, ending at insertion, not decurrent;
vaginant laminae ± 1/2 leaf length, ± unequal, minor lamina ending near margin;
margin crenulate-serrulate but limbate and entire on proximal 1/3–1/2 of vaginant laminae of most leaves, limbidial cells 1-stratose;
costa ending 2–6 cells before apex, bryoides-type;
lamina cells 1-stratose, distinct, mammillose, firm-walled, irregularly hexagonal, 7–12 µm, smooth, larger, ± oblong, pellucid juxtacostally in proximal parts of vaginant laminae.
1.4–10 mm.
to 2 mm.
polyoicous;
naked antheridia and archegonia often in axils of distal leaves.
gonioautoicous.
theca exserted, erect, radially symmetric to ± inclined, bilaterally symmetic, 0.2–1.2 mm;
peristome bryoides-type;
operculum 0.5 mm.
theca exserted, erect, radially symmetric, 0.5 mm;
peristome scariosus-type;
operculum 0.4 mm.
cucullate smooth, to 0.5 mm.
cucullate, smooth, 0.3–0.5 mm.
10–20 µm.
10–16 µm.
1–2 per perichaetium.
1 per perichaetium.
Fissidens bryoides
Fissidens leptophyllus
Fissidens bryoides is a veritable kaleidoscope of intergrading expressions. At one extreme is F. bryoides in the strict sense, with plants gonioautoicous and the limbidium, 1–3 cells thick, confluent at the leaf apex with the percurrent to short-excurrent costa. At the other extreme is the expression that has been singled out as F. exiguus, with plants rhizautoicous and the 1-stratose limbidium usually restricted to the vaginant laminae of perichaetial leaves. In rare cases the limbidium can be absent from all leaves. All expressions, however, have clear, distinct, 1-stratose, irregularly hexagonal laminal cells, 6.5–16 µm, that in transverse section are no deeper than wide, and that have smooth walls that can be slightly bulging. H. A. Crum and L. E. Anderson (1981) illustrated the major expressions found in the flora area. Axillary, multicellular gemmae have been reported in Indian specimens.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
The extent of the limbidium is the best way to distinguish Fissidens leptophyllus from F. submarginatus. The limbidium in F. leptophyllus is confined to the proximal 1/2 or less of the vaginant laminae of most leaves, but in F. submarginatus the limbidium extends the entire length of the vaginant laminae and sometimes onto the proximal part of the adjacent ventral lamina of most or all leaves.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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