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fissidens moss

Habit Plants to 10 × 3 mm. Plants to 25 × 3.5 mm.
Stem

unbranched and branched;

axillary hyaline nodules absent;

central strand present or absent.

unbranched and branched;

axillary hyaline nodules absent;

central strand weak.

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 35 pairs, lanceolate to oblong-lingulate, acute to obtuse-apiculate; to 5 × 0.9 mm;

dorsal lamina narrowed proximally, ending at insertion, not decurrent;

vaginant laminae 1/2–2/3 leaf length, equal;

margin ± entire, limbate on all laminae, limbidium reaching apex or ending a few cells before apex and a few cells above insertion of dorsal lamina, limbidial cells 3- to 6-stratose;

costa ± percurrent, bryoides-type;

laminal cells 1-stratose, or variably 2-stratose, smooth, slightly bulging, firm-walled, irregularly quadrate to hexagonal, 8–13 µm, ± twice as deep as wide.

Seta

to 9 mm.

stout, to 3 mm, geniculate.

Sexual condition

gonioautoicous and rhizautoicous.

probably rhizautoicous;

perigonia not seen;

perichaetia on elongate stems.

Capsule

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

peristome bryoides-type;

operculum 0.5 mm.

theca emergent, erect, radially symmetric, to 1.2 mm;

peristome bryoides-type;

operculum 0.4 mm.

Calyptra

cucullate, smooth, 0.8 mm.

not seen.

Spores

10–16 µm.

23–40 µm.

Sporophytes

1–2 per perichaetium.

1–2 per perichaetium.

Fissidens crispus

Fissidens ventricosus

Habitat Moist shaded soil, over rocks near streams, infrequently submerged by fluctuating water levels Attached to rocks and other substrates in rapidly running streams, infrequently on wet rocks beside streams
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
CA; ID; OR; WA; BC
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 ventricosus occurs along the Pacific Coast of North America and at a disjunct site in northern Idaho (see map in R. R. Ireland and W. B. Schofield 1967). It is distinguished by its aquatic habitat, strongly limbate leaves, variably 2-stratose laminal cells, short, thick, geniculate seta, and emergent capsule. Plants usually become black and covered with diatoms. The species might be confused with F. rigidulus Hooker f. & Wilson, but the latter, found in wet sites in the Americas from Chile north to Mexico but not known in the United States, has much smaller laminal cells and a long seta characteristic of terrestrial species. The calyptra of F. ventricosus is cucullate according to Ireland and Schofield.

(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. 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. santa-clarensis, F. scalaris, F. serratus, F. subbasilaris, F. sublimbatus, F. submarginatus, F. taxifolius, F. taylorii, F. zollingeri
Synonyms F. limbatus, F. limbatus var. brevifolius, F. limbatus var. ensiformis, F. pusillus var. brevifolius, F. repandus, F. tortilis
Name authority Montagne: Ann. Sci. Nat., Bot., sér. 2, 9: 57. (1838) Lesquereux: Mem. Calif. Acad. Sci. 1: 7. (1868)
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