Fissidens curvatus |
Fissidens dubius |
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fissidens moss |
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Habit | Plants 1.2–10 × 1–2.5 mm. | Plants to 25 × 3.5 mm. |
Stem | unbranched and branched; axillary hyaline nodules present; central strand weak or absent. |
usually branched; axillary hyaline nodules absent; central strand present. |
Leaves | as many as 25 pairs, narrowly lanceolate to ovate–lanceolate, acute to sharply acute to short acuminate, to 1.9 × 0.3; dorsal lamina narrowed proximally, ending before or at insertion, infrequently ± decurrent; vaginant laminae 1/2–4/5 leaf length, ± equal, minor lamina ending on or near margin; margin entire, limbate on all laminae, limbidium confluent at apex or ending shortly before apex, extending to base of dorsal lamina, limbidial cells 2–3-stratose; costa percurrent to excurrent, bryoides-type; laminal cells 1-stratose, distinct, smooth, ± bulging, firm-walled, elongate, 7–22 × 4–13 µm, increasing in size toward proximal part of leaf. |
as many as 25 pairs, often undulate, oblong to lanceolate, obtuse to acute, often apiculate, to 3.5 × 0.7 mm; dorsal lamina truncate-rounded proximally, ending at insertion, not decurrent; vaginant laminae 2/3 the leaf length, ± unequal, minor lamina ending near margin; margin crenulate to crenulate-serrulate but unevenly serrate at leaf apex, elimbate; costa ending a few cells before apex to percurrent, taxifolius-type; laminal cells irregularly 2-stratose in dorsal and ventral laminae, ± obscure, smooth, bulging, firm-walled, rounded-hexagonal, 7–10 µm, 3–4 rows of marginal cells thinner, walls slightly thicker, forming a pale marginal band. |
Seta | to 12 mm. |
to 11 mm. |
Sexual condition | rhizoautoicous; perigonia gemmiform, proximal to infertile and fertile stems. |
dioicous; perigonia on short axillary branches and elongate stems; perichaetia on short axillary branches, mostly near proximal ends of stems. |
Capsule | theca exserted, ± erect, radially symmetric to inclined, arcuate, bilaterally symmetic, 0.35–1.25 mm; peristome bryoides-type; operculum 0.25–0.3 µm. |
theca slightly inclined, slightly arcuate, bilaterally symmetric, to 1.8 mm; peristome taxifolius-type; operculum 1–1.4 mm. |
Calyptra | cucullate, smooth, 0.5 mm. |
cucullate, smooth, 1.8 mm. |
Spores | 11–18 µm. |
13–20 µm. |
Sporophytes | 1 per perichaetium. |
1 per perchaetium. |
Fissidens curvatus |
Fissidens dubius |
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Habitat | Bare, shaded soil, often among grasses in open Quercus forests and around bases of coastal shrubs | Soil and humus, bases of trees, decaying wood, rocks and boulders in moist, shaded sites |
Distribution |
CA; Mexico; South America; West Indies; Europe; Asia; Africa; Pacific Islands (New Caledonia, New Zealand); Australia |
AK; AL; AR; AZ; CA; CT; DE; FL; GA; IA; IL; IN; KS; KY; MA; ME; MI; MN; MO; MS; NC; NE; NH; NY; OK; PA; SC; TN; TX; VA; VT; WI; WV; NB; NF; NS; ON; QC; Mexico; Central America; West Indies; Europe; Asia; Pacific Islands
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Discussion | Fissidens curvatus is distinguished by its delicate dimorphic stems, usually long excurrent costa, limbidium confluent at leaf apex, and slightly elongate laminal cells. The theca is usually arcuate but can also be erect. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
In contrast to Fissidens adianthoides, F. dubius has smaller, irregularly 2-stratose, obscure laminal cells. Subterranean, irregularly globose, multicellular rhizoidal gemmae have been reported for F. dubius as well as F. osmundioides and F. taxifolius in Europe and Japan. Z. Iwatsuki and T. Suzuki (1982) cited the occurrence of dwarf male plants (small perigonial stems located on the leaves of perichaetial plants) in Japanese specimens. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 27, p. 347. | FNA vol. 27, p. 340. |
Parent taxa | Fissidentaceae > Fissidens | Fissidentaceae > Fissidens |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | F. milobakeri | F. adianthoides var. semicristatus, F. cristatus, F. cristatus var. winonensis, F. decipiens var. winonensis, F. floridanus |
Name authority | Hornschuch: Linnaea 15: 148. (1841) | P. Beauvois: Prodr. Aethéogam., 57. (1805) |
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