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fissidens moss

Habit Plants 1.2–10 × 1–2.5 mm. Plants to 3.5 × 3 mm.
Stem

unbranched and branched;

axillary hyaline nodules present;

central strand weak or absent.

unbranched;

axillary hyaline nodules absent;

central strand absent.

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 6 pairs, lanceolate, acute to obtuse, sometimes apiculate, to 2.2 × 0.5 mm;

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

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

margin entire but sometimes ± serrulate distally, limbate, limbidium 1–2 cells wide, ending before apex, often indistinct on vaginant laminae, limbidial cells 1-stratose; ecostate, or costa consisting of very short proximal vestige;

laminal cells 1-stratose, smooth, thin-walled, hexagonal to elongate-hexagonal, 31–67 × 14–34 µm, ± oblong in proximal portions of leaves, particularly in vaginant laminae.

Seta

to 12 mm.

to 3 mm.

Sexual condition

rhizoautoicous;

perigonia gemmiform, proximal to infertile and fertile stems.

rhizautoicous;

perigonia gemmiform, proximal to perichaetial stems, and on elongate stems, to 1.2 mm.

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 exserted, erect, radially symmetric, sometimes slightly arcuate, bilaterally symmetric, to 0.4 mm;

peristome scariosus-type;

operculum ± as long as theca.

Calyptra

cucullate, smooth, 0.5 mm.

mitrate, prorate, 0.4 mm.

Spores

11–18 µm.

9–13 µm.

Sporophytes

1 per perichaetium.

1 per perichaetium.

Fissidens curvatus

Fissidens hyalinus

Habitat Bare, shaded soil, often among grasses in open Quercus forests and around bases of coastal shrubs Bare, clayey soil in shaded ravines, gorges, and dry stream bottoms
Distribution
from FNA
CA; Mexico; South America; West Indies; Europe; Asia; Africa; Pacific Islands (New Caledonia, New Zealand); Australia
from FNA
KY; LA; OH; PA; TN; Asia
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.)

Fissidens hyalinus (Latin hyalus, literally “of glass,” alluding to the transparent, glasslike appearance) is doubtless more common than previously thought. B. E. Lemmon (1966) published a photograph showing a perigonial stem and a perichaetial stem with attached sporophyte. A. C. Risk (2002) gave a thorough account of the distribution and habitat of this tiny moss. Plants cannot be mistaken for any other species in North America, owing to the ecostate leaves and smooth, large, thin-walled laminal cells that shrink considerably when dry.

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

Source FNA vol. 27, p. 347. FNA vol. 27, p. 357.
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. crispus, 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. 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
Synonyms F. milobakeri
Name authority Hornschuch: Linnaea 15: 148. (1841) Wilson & Hooker f.: J. Bot. (Hooker) 3: 89, fig. 2. (1841)
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