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zollinger's fissidens moss

Habit Plants to 10 × 3 mm. Plants to 5.5 × 3.0 mm.
Stem

unbranched and branched;

axillary hyaline nodules absent;

central strand present or absent.

unbranched and branched;

axillary hyaline nodules absent;

central strand weak 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 12 pairs, lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, rarely linear-lanceolate, acute or infrequently obtuse, to 2.5 × 0.5 mm;

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

vaginant laminae ± 1/2 leaf length, equal;

margin entire but serrulate distally, limbate on all laminae, limbidium confluent at apex or ending slightly before, limbidial cells 1- or 2-stratose;

costa percurrent to short-excurrent, bryoides-type;

laminal cells 1-stratose, distinct, smooth, slightly bulging, firm-walled, irregularly hexagonal, 6.5–18 µm, greatly enlarged, ± oblong, ± pellucid in juxtacostal patches in proximal portions of vaginant laminae.

Seta

to 9 mm.

Sexual condition

gonioautoicous and rhizautoicous.

rhizautoicous and synoicous.

Capsule

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

peristome bryoides-type;

operculum 0.5 mm.

theca erect, radially symmetric to slightly arcuate, bilaterally symmetric, 0.5–0.8 mm;

peristome scariosus-type;

operculum to 0.8 mm.

Calyptra

cucullate, smooth, 0.8 mm.

cucullate, smooth, 0.6 mm.

Spores

10–16 µm.

10–13 µm.

Sporophytes

1–2 per perichaetium.

1–2 per perichaetium.

Fissidens crispus

Fissidens zollingeri

Habitat Moist shaded soil, over rocks near streams, infrequently submerged by fluctuating water levels Damp calcareous soil and limestone rocks in ravines and woods
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
AL; FL; GA; LA; MS; Mexico; Central America; South America; West Indies; Asia; Africa
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 zollingeri is best distinguished by its usually palmately arranged leaves, limbidium present on all laminae of the leaf, and juxtacostal patches of enlarged, oblong, pellucid cells in the proximal parts of the vaginant laminae. The distal laminal cells are distinct, smooth, and slightly bulging. It is closely related to two other tropical species, F. angustifolius Sullivant and F. yucatanensis Steere, both of which have limbate leaves and groups of enlarged, pellucid cells in the proximal parts of the vaginant laminae. The distal laminal cells of those species, however, are mammillose. Axillary, stalked, multicellular, clavate gemmae have been observed in tropical specimens of F. zollingeri.

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

Source FNA vol. 27, p. 349. FNA vol. 27, p. 356.
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. ventricosus
Synonyms F. limbatus, F. limbatus var. brevifolius, F. limbatus var. ensiformis, F. pusillus var. brevifolius, F. repandus, F. tortilis F. kegelianus
Name authority Montagne: Ann. Sci. Nat., Bot., sér. 2, 9: 57. (1838) Montagne: Ann. Sci. Nat., Bot., sér. 3, 4: 114. (1845)
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