The green links below add additional plants to the comparison table. Blue links lead to other Web sites.
enable glossary links

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
from FNA
CA; Mexico; South America; West Indies; Europe; Asia; Africa; Pacific Islands (New Caledonia, New Zealand); Australia
from FNA
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
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. hyalinus, F. leptophyllus, F. littlei, F. minutulus, F. obtusifolius, F. osmundioides, 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 F. garberi, F. minutus
Name authority Hornschuch: Linnaea 15: 148. (1841) Mitten: J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 12: 592. (1869)
Web links