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Habit Plants to 10 × 3 mm. Plants to 7.5 × 1.5–2.5 mm.
Stem

unbranched and branched;

axillary hyaline nodules absent;

central strand present or absent.

unbranched and branched;

axillary hyaline nodules absent;

central strand present or absent.

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 25 pairs, often undulate, oblong-lingulate, abruptly narrowed to rounded-obtuse apex, 1.2–2 × 0.3–0.4 mm;

dorsal lamina narrowed proximally, rounded, ending a short distance before insertion;

vaginant laminae 1/2–2/3 the leaf length, acute, ± unequal, minor lamina ending near margin;

margin crenulate, elimbate;

costa ending 4–10 cells before apex, oblongifolius-type, distal part of leaf in transverse section showing 4 enlarged cells arranged in 2 rows;

laminal cells in dorsal and ventral laminae 1-stratose, distinct, lenticularly thickened but appearing mammillose, firm-walled, irregularly hexagonal, 6–9 µm, juxtacostal and interior cells of vaginant laminae 1-stratose, smooth, plane, larger;

medial marginal cells of vaginant laminae not differing perceptively from interior cells.

Seta

to 9 mm.

to 4.5 mm.

Sexual condition

gonioautoicous and rhizautoicous.

cladautoicous;

perigonia and perichaetia on main stems and branches.

Capsule

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

peristome bryoides-type;

operculum 0.5 mm.

theca erect, radially symmetric, 0.3–1 mm;

peristome similiretis-type;

operculum 0.5–0.6 mm.

Calyptra

cucullate, smooth, 0.8 mm.

0.7–0.8 mm.

Spores

10–16 µm.

11–15 µm.

Sporophytes

1–2 per perichaetium.

1 per perichaetium.

Fissidens crispus

Fissidens santa-clarensis

Habitat Moist shaded soil, over rocks near streams, infrequently submerged by fluctuating water levels Rotten wood, bark of living trees, particularly around the base, moist soil, and limestone
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
FL; Mexico; Central America; West Indies
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 santa-clarensis, named for a province in Cuba, is restricted in the United States to peninsular Florida (Citrus, Collier, Dade, Levy, Manatee, Marion, Monroe, Polk, and Sumter counties). The species can be recognized by its abruptly narrowed, rounded-obtuse leaf apex, lenticularly-thickened dorsal and ventral laminal cells, short oblongifolius-type costa that in transverse section of the distal part shows four enlarged cells arranged in two rows, and similiretis-type of peristome. Collections of F. santa-clarensis were long assigned by American authors to F. radicans Montagne, a closely related species with caducous leaves, a broadly acute to rounded leaf apex, and an anomalous peristome with teeth undivided or irregularly divided.

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

Source FNA vol. 27, p. 349. FNA vol. 27, p. 338.
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. bryoides, 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. 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. allenianus
Name authority Montagne: Ann. Sci. Nat., Bot., sér. 2, 9: 57. (1838) Thériot: Mem. Soc. Cub. Hist. Nat. “Felipe Poey” 13: 209, plate 32, fig. 1. (1939)
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