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bryoid fissidens moss, lesser pocket-moss

Habit Plants to 10 × 3 mm. Plants 3–11 × 0.9–3.2 mm.
Stem

unbranched and branched;

axillary hyaline nodules absent;

central strand present or absent.

unbranched and branched;

axillary hyaline nodules absent;

central strand usually present.

Leaves

as many as 20 pairs, elliptic to broadly lanceolate to oblong-lingulate, acute, short-acuminate to obtuse-apiculate, to 2 × 0.5 mm;

dorsal lamina narrowed proximally, ending before insertion to ± decurrent;

vaginant laminae 2/3–3/4 leaf length, equal;

margin ± entire but usually serrulate distally, limbate on all laminae, limbidium usually ending a few cells before apex, frequently edged by 1–2 rows of quadrate to oblong chlorophyllose cells in proximal parts of vaginant laminae, limbidial cells 1–2-stratose;

costa percurrent to ending 2–5 cells before leaf, infrequently short-excurrent, bryoides-type;

laminal cells 1-stratose, smooth, strongly bulging, densely chlorophyllose, ± obscure, firm-walled, irregularly quadrate to hexagonal, usually arranged in discernable rows in distal part of leaf, 6–10 µm, twice as deep as wide.

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.

Seta

to 9 mm.

1.4–10 mm.

Sexual condition

gonioautoicous and rhizautoicous.

polyoicous;

naked antheridia and archegonia often in axils of distal leaves.

Capsule

theca exserted, inclined, bilaterally symmetric to erect, radially symmetric, to 1 mm;

peristome bryoides-type;

operculum 0.5 mm.

theca exserted, erect, radially symmetric to ± inclined, bilaterally symmetic, 0.2–1.2 mm;

peristome bryoides-type;

operculum 0.5 mm.

Calyptra

cucullate, smooth, 0.8 mm.

cucullate smooth, to 0.5 mm.

Spores

10–16 µm.

10–20 µm.

Sporophytes

1–2 per perichaetium.

1–2 per perichaetium.

Fissidens crispus

Fissidens bryoides

Habitat Moist shaded soil, over rocks near streams, infrequently submerged by fluctuating water levels Soil in moist, shaded sites, stones and rocks (both acidic and basic) in shaded areas, along streams, sometimes inundated, infrequently around bases of trees
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; CO; LA; MS; NM; NV; OR; TX; UT; WA; AB; BC; Mexico; Central America; South America; West Indies
from FNA
AK; AL; AR; AZ; CA; CO; CT; DE; FL; GA; IA; ID; IL; IN; KS; KY; LA; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; MO; MS; MT; NC; ND; NH; NJ; NM; NY; OH; OK; OR; PA; RI; SC; SD; TN; TX; UT; VA; VT; WA; WI; WV; WY; AB; BC; NB; NF; NS; NT; NU; ON; PE; QC; YT; Mexico; Central America; South America; Europe; Greenland; West Indies; Asia
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Discussion

Three species belong to the Fissidens crispus complex; F. crispus, F. minutulus, and F. sublimbatus. A well-developed limbidium and small (6–10 µm), bulging, obscure laminal cells that in transverse section are twice as deep as wide characterize all three.

Fissidens crispus, better known in western North America as F. limbatus, is highly variable and widespread, ranging widely in tropical America, where it also attains its greatest variability. It is best distinguished by laminal cells that are usually arranged in discernable rows in the distal parts of leaves. The dorsal lamina is quite variable, ending above the insertion to long-decurrent as in some tropical expressions. Leaves, when dry, are usually crispate. The limbidium is found on all or most leaves and usually extends to or ends just before the apex.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

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.)

Source FNA vol. 27, p. 349. FNA vol. 27, p. 345.
Parent taxa Fissidentaceae > Fissidens Fissidentaceae > Fissidens
Sibling taxa
F. adianthoides, F. amoenus, F. aphelotaxifolius, F. appalachensis, F. arcticus, F. asplenioides, F. bryoides, F. bushii, F. closteri, F. curvatus, F. dubius, F. elegans, F. exilis, F. fontanus, F. grandifrons, F. hallianus, F. hyalinus, F. leptophyllus, F. littlei, F. minutulus, F. obtusifolius, F. osmundioides, F. pallidinervis, F. pauperculus, F. pellucidus, F. polypodioides, F. santa-clarensis, F. scalaris, F. serratus, F. subbasilaris, F. sublimbatus, F. submarginatus, F. taxifolius, F. taylorii, F. ventricosus, F. zollingeri
F. adianthoides, F. amoenus, F. aphelotaxifolius, F. appalachensis, F. arcticus, F. asplenioides, F. bushii, F. closteri, F. crispus, F. curvatus, F. dubius, F. elegans, F. exilis, F. fontanus, F. grandifrons, F. hallianus, F. hyalinus, F. leptophyllus, F. littlei, F. minutulus, F. obtusifolius, F. osmundioides, F. pallidinervis, F. pauperculus, F. pellucidus, F. polypodioides, F. santa-clarensis, F. scalaris, F. serratus, F. subbasilaris, F. sublimbatus, F. submarginatus, F. taxifolius, F. taylorii, F. ventricosus, F. zollingeri
Synonyms F. limbatus, F. limbatus var. brevifolius, F. limbatus var. ensiformis, F. pusillus var. brevifolius, F. repandus, F. tortilis F. andersonii, F. bryoides var. incurvus, F. bryoides var. pusillus, F. exiguus, F. exiguus var. falcatulus, F. pusillus, F. synoicous, F. texanus, F. viridulus, F. viridulus var. pusillus, F. viridulus var. tamarindifolius, F. viridulus var. texanus
Name authority Montagne: Ann. Sci. Nat., Bot., sér. 2, 9: 57. (1838) Hedwig: Sp. Musc. Frond., 153. (1801)
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