Fissidens crispus
Fissidens littlei
little's fissidens moss
unbranched and branched;
axillary hyaline nodules absent;
central strand present or absent.
unbranched and sparingly branched;
axillary hyaline nodules absent;
central strand absent.
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 8 pairs, ligulate, obtuse-apiculate to acute, to 1.5 × 0.25 mm;
dorsal lamina narrowed proximally, ending at insertion or slightly decurrent;
vaginant laminae 1/2–2/3 leaf length, ± equal, minor lamina ending on or near margin;
margin crenulate, often irregularly so on vaginant laminae, elimbate;
costa ending 3–5 cells before apex, bryoides-type;
lamina cells 1-stratose, distinct, mammillose, firm-walled, irregularly quadrate to hexagonal, oblate on margin, 8–10 µm, somewhat larger, ± oblong in proximal parts of vaginant laminae.
to 9 mm.
1.4–1.8 mm.
gonioautoicous and rhizautoicous.
rhizautoicous and gonio-autoicous;
perigonia gemmiform and on elongate stems.
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 0.5 mm long;
peristome teeth anomalous, undivided, papillose;
operculum to 0.3 mm.
cucullate, smooth, 0.8 mm.
cucullate, smooth, 0.3 mm.
10–16 µm.
8–11 µm.
1–2 per perichaetium.
1 per perichaetium.
Fissidens crispus
Fissidens littlei
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.)
This rare Fissidens, named in honor of the American botanist Elbert Little, is known only from the type locality and was recently re-discovered there by K. W. Allred (1998). The plants are pale green, probably the result of their occurrence in small pocketlike depressions where direct sunlight does not penetrate. The species has been confused with F. amoenus, but differs from the latter by its elimbate leaves, slightly smaller, mammillose laminal cells, oblate marginal cells, absence of enlarged pellucid cells in the proximal parts of the vaginant laminae, and undivided, papillose peristome teeth.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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