Fissidens curvatus |
Fissidens scalaris |
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Habit | Plants 1.2–10 × 1–2.5 mm. | Plants 1.5–6 × 1 mm. |
Stem | unbranched and branched; axillary hyaline nodules present; central strand weak or absent. |
unbranched and branched; axillary hyaline nodules present; 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 16 pairs, oblong to lanceolate, acute to short-acuminate, to 1.3 × 0.25 mm; dorsal lamina narrowed proximally, ending well above or at insertion; vaginant laminae ± 4/5 leaf length, ± equal, minor lamina ending on or near margin; margin ± entire to crenulate-serrulate, limbate on all laminae, limbidium variable, developed best on vaginant laminae, ceasing well before apex, limbidium cells 1-stratose; costa ending 2–5 cells before apex to percurrent, bryoides-type; laminal cells 1-stratose, distinct, smooth, somewhat bulging, firm-walled, irregularly quadrate to hexagonal, 9–14 µm, increasing somewhat in size and ± oblong in proximal parts of vaginant laminae. |
Seta | to 12 mm. |
2–6 mm. |
Sexual condition | rhizoautoicous; perigonia gemmiform, proximal to infertile and fertile stems. |
rhizautoicous; perigonia gemmiform, proximal to fertile and infertile stems, and as branches along horizontal parts 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 exserted, erect, radially symmetric, 0.5–1.25 mm; peristome anomalous, variable, even in same theca, teeth undivided, imperfectly divided or divided 4/5 their length, papillose distally, smooth proximally; operculum 0.22–0.3 mm. |
Calyptra | cucullate, smooth, 0.5 mm. |
cucullate, smooth, to 0.45 mm. |
Spores | 11–18 µm. |
20–26 µm. |
Sporophytes | 1 per perichaetium. |
1 per perichaetium. |
Fissidens curvatus |
Fissidens scalaris |
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Habitat | Bare, shaded soil, often among grasses in open Quercus forests and around bases of coastal shrubs | Bare, disturbed soil of stream banks and roadsides, loess banks, often more or less buried |
Distribution |
CA; Mexico; South America; West Indies; Europe; Asia; Africa; Pacific Islands (New Caledonia, New Zealand); Australia |
AL; FL; LA; NC; OK; TX; South America |
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 scalaris, although widespread in the southern part of the United States, is infrequently collected. It is best distinguished by its dimorphic stems and undivided to deeply divided, papillose peristome teeth. B. E. Lemmon (1965) published photographs of the development of plants, including perigonial, perichaetial, and infertile stems, and peristome. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 27, p. 347. | FNA vol. 27, p. 347. |
Parent taxa | Fissidentaceae > Fissidens | Fissidentaceae > Fissidens |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | F. milobakeri | Moenkemeyera neonii, F. neonii |
Name authority | Hornschuch: Linnaea 15: 148. (1841) | Mitten: J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 12: 596. (1869) |
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