Fissidens curvatus |
Fissidens pallidinervis |
|
---|---|---|
|
pale-nerve fissidens moss |
|
Habit | Plants 1.2–10 × 1–2.5 mm. | Plants to 6 × 1 mm. |
Stem | unbranched and branched; axillary hyaline nodules present; central strand weak or absent. |
branched and unbranched; axillary hyaline nodules absent; central strand weak or 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 18 pairs, lingulate to lanceolate, rounded to obtuse to broadly acute, to 1 × 0.25 mm; dorsal lamina narrowed or rounded proximally, ending at insertion, not decurrent; vaginant laminae ± 1/2–2/3 leaf length, ± unequal, minor lamina ending near margin; margin serrulate, limbate, ± entire in proximal 1/3–1/2 of perichaetial and subtending 1–2 pairs of leaves, limbidium sometimes indistinct, limbidial cells 1-stratose; costa ending 3–25 cells before apex, often spurred distally, bryoides-type; laminal cells 1-stratose, pluripapillose, obscure, firm-walled, irregularly quadrate to hexagonal, 4–8 µm, in transverse section usually twice as deep as wide. |
Seta | to 12 mm. |
to 2 mm. |
Sexual condition | rhizoautoicous; perigonia gemmiform, proximal to infertile and fertile stems. |
rhizautoicous, cladautoicous, rarely gonioautoicous. |
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, to 0.6 mm; peristome scariosus-type; operculum 0.3 mm. |
Calyptra | cucullate, smooth, 0.5 mm. |
cucullate, ± prorate, 0.3 µm. |
Spores | 11–18 µm. |
9–14µm. |
Sporophytes | 1 per perichaetium. |
1–2 per perichaetium. |
Fissidens curvatus |
Fissidens pallidinervis |
|
Habitat | Bare, shaded soil, often among grasses in open Quercus forests and around bases of coastal shrubs | Usually in damp areas around bases of trees, decaying logs, occasionally limestone and soil |
Distribution |
CA; Mexico; South America; West Indies; Europe; Asia; Africa; Pacific Islands (New Caledonia, New Zealand); Australia |
FL; LA; Mexico; Central America; South America; West Indies; Asia; Africa |
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 pallidinervis and F. elegans are the only species of the genus in North America with small, obscure, pluripapillose laminal cells. Fissidens pallidinervis, however, is distinguished by a rounded to broadly acute leaf apex, and a limbidium restricted to the lower parts of vaginant laminae of perichaetial and one or two pairs of subtending leaves. Axillary, stalked, multicellular, clavate gemmae have been reported in Japanese collections of F. pallidinervis. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 27, p. 347. | FNA vol. 27, p. 350. |
Parent taxa | Fissidentaceae > Fissidens | Fissidentaceae > Fissidens |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | F. milobakeri | F. garberi, F. minutus |
Name authority | Hornschuch: Linnaea 15: 148. (1841) | Mitten: J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 12: 592. (1869) |
Web links |