Fissidens curvatus
Fissidens minutulus
unbranched and branched;
axillary hyaline nodules present;
central strand weak or absent.
unbranched;
axillary hyaline nodules absent;
central strand present or absent.
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 12 pairs, lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, occasionally narrowly lanceolate, acute to rarely apiculate, to 1.2 × 0.2–0.3 mm;
dorsal lamina narrowed proximally, ending at or sometimes before insertion;
vaginant laminae 1/2 leaf length, ± equal, minor lamina ending on or near margin;
margin entire but serrulate to denticulate distally, limbate on all laminae, limbidium ending a few to several cells before leaf apex, not reaching proximal end of dorsal lamina, sometimes edged by 1 or more rows of quadrate cells in proximal part of vaginant laminae, limbidial cells 1-stratose;
costa ending a few cells before apex to percurrent, bryoides-type;
laminal cells 1-stratose, smooth, strongly bulging, ± obscure, firm-walled, irregularly quadrate to hexagonal, mostly 6.5–10 µm, in transverse section twice as deep as wide.
to 12 mm.
1–4.5 mm.
rhizoautoicous;
perigonia gemmiform, proximal to infertile and fertile stems.
rhizautoicous.
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, usually erect, radially symmetric, 0.2–0.8 mm;
peristome bryoides-type;
operculum 0.3 mm.
cucullate, smooth, 0.5 mm.
cucullate, smooth, 0.5 mm.
11–18 µm.
10–16 µm.
1 per perichaetium.
1–2 per perichaetium.
Fissidens curvatus
Fissidens minutulus
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 minutulus is often confused with an expression of F. bryoides. The two have similar habits, and both are found on rocks at edges of streams, although F. minutulus is found principally on limestone, while F. bryoides occurs mostly on acidic rocks. Moreover, the laminal cells of F. minutulus are small (6–10 µm), strongly bulging, and more or less obscure, unlike the somewhat larger, more or less plane, distinct cells of F. bryoides. In transverse section the laminal cells of F. minutulus are twice as deep as wide, while those of F. bryoides are more or less as deep as wide. Stems of F. minutulus are unbranched while those of F. bryoides are branched.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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