Fissidens crispus
Fissidens bushii
Bush's fissidens moss
unbranched and branched;
axillary hyaline nodules absent;
central strand present or absent.
branched;
axillary hyaline nodules weak;
central strand weak.
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, oblong to lanceolate, obtuse-apiculate to acute-apiculate, to 2 × 0.5 mm;
dorsal lamina rounded proximally, ending at insertion, not decurrent;
vaginant laminae ± 2/3 leaf length, ± equal, minor lamina ending on or near margin;
margin crenulate-serrulate, more strongly serrulate on vaginant laminae;
costa ending 1–2 cells before apex or ending in apiculus, taxifolius-type;
laminal cells irregularly 2-stratose in dorsal and ventral laminae, smooth, bulging, firm-walled, rounded-hexagonal, 7–9 µm, papillose in cell corners with 2–4 ± inconspicuous papillae in vaginant laminae.
to 9 mm.
to 10 mm.
gonioautoicous and rhizautoicous.
dioicous;
perigonia and perichaetia gemmiform, axillary, confined to proximal parts of stems.
theca exserted, inclined, bilaterally symmetric to erect, radially symmetric, to 1 mm;
peristome bryoides-type;
operculum 0.5 mm.
theca to 1 mm, erect, ± arcuate, bilaterally symmetric, about 1 mm;
peristome taxifolius-type;
operculum 1 mm.
cucullate, smooth, 0.8 mm.
cucullate, smooth, 0.6 mm.
10–16 µm.
14–18 µm.
1–2 per perichaetium.
1 per perichaetium.
Fissidens crispus
Fissidens bushii
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 bushii, named in honor of the collector of the type, Benjamin Franklin Bush, is most apt to be confused with F. taxifolius. However, plants of F. bushii are usually much smaller, costa shorter, and leaves sometimes caducous. Moreover, small papillae restricted to the corners of cells in vaginant laminae are distinctive. The species is probably most closely related to the Asiatic F. teysmannianus Dozy & Molkenboer, which also has inconspicuous papillae in the corners of vaginant laminal cells.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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