Fissidens crispus
Fissidens minutulus
unbranched and branched;
axillary hyaline nodules absent;
central strand present or absent.
unbranched;
axillary hyaline nodules absent;
central strand present or 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 12 pairs, lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, occasionally narrowly lanceolate, acute to rarely apiculate, to 1.2 × 0.2–0.3 mm;
dorsal lamina narrowed proximally, ending at or sometimes before insertion;
vaginant laminae 1/2 leaf length, ± equal, minor lamina ending on or near margin;
margin entire but serrulate to denticulate distally, limbate on all laminae, limbidium ending a few to several cells before leaf apex, not reaching proximal end of dorsal lamina, sometimes edged by 1 or more rows of quadrate cells in proximal part of vaginant laminae, limbidial cells 1-stratose;
costa ending a few cells before apex to percurrent, bryoides-type;
laminal cells 1-stratose, smooth, strongly bulging, ± obscure, firm-walled, irregularly quadrate to hexagonal, mostly 6.5–10 µm, in transverse section twice as deep as wide.
to 9 mm.
1–4.5 mm.
gonioautoicous and rhizautoicous.
rhizautoicous.
theca exserted, inclined, bilaterally symmetric to erect, radially symmetric, to 1 mm;
peristome bryoides-type;
operculum 0.5 mm.
theca exserted, usually erect, radially symmetric, 0.2–0.8 mm;
peristome bryoides-type;
operculum 0.3 mm.
cucullate, smooth, 0.8 mm.
cucullate, smooth, 0.5 mm.
10–16 µm.
10–16 µm.
1–2 per perichaetium.
1–2 per perichaetium.
Fissidens crispus
Fissidens minutulus
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 minutulus is often confused with an expression of F. bryoides. The two have similar habits, and both are found on rocks at edges of streams, although F. minutulus is found principally on limestone, while F. bryoides occurs mostly on acidic rocks. Moreover, the laminal cells of F. minutulus are small (6–10 µm), strongly bulging, and more or less obscure, unlike the somewhat larger, more or less plane, distinct cells of F. bryoides. In transverse section the laminal cells of F. minutulus are twice as deep as wide, while those of F. bryoides are more or less as deep as wide. Stems of F. minutulus are unbranched while those of F. bryoides are branched.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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