Fissidens curvatus
Fissidens sublimbatus
fissidens moss
unbranched and branched;
axillary hyaline nodules present;
central strand weak or absent.
usually branched;
axillary hyaline nodules absent;
central strand present.
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 22 pairs, ovate to lanceolate, rounded to obtuse-apiculate, apiculus formed of a single, clear, sharp cell, to 1 × 0.1–0.4 mm, perichaetial and larger leaves oblong to oblong-ligulate and lanceolate;
dorsal lamina usually narrowed abruptly proximally, often arched, ending well before insertion;
vaginant laminae 1/2–3/4 leaf length, ± equal, minor lamina ending on or near margin;
margin ± entire but serrulate distally, elimbate or limbate, limbidium 1-stratose, restricted to vaginant laminae or found to variable degrees on all laminae, often conspicuously intralaminal in proximal parts of vaginant laminae;
costa ending 2–5 cells before apex or percurrent, bryoides-type;
laminal cells 1-stratose, smooth, strongly bulging, ± obscure, usually arranged in discernable rows distally, firm-walled, 6–10 µm, twice as deep as wide.
to 12 mm.
to 5 mm.
rhizoautoicous;
perigonia gemmiform, proximal to infertile and fertile stems.
cladautoicous, gonioautoicous, and possibly 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, slightly inclined, bilaterally symmetric to erect, radially symmetric, to 1 mm;
peristome bryoides-type;
operculum 0.3 mm.
cucullate, smooth, 0.5 mm.
cucullate, smooth, 0.6 mm.
11–18 µm.
14–23 µm.
1 per perichaetium.
1 per perichaetium.
Fissidens curvatus
Fissidens sublimbatus
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 sublimbatus is closely allied to F. crispus but is restricted to arid habitats. Indeed, it appears to be the only species of the genus found in Death Valley. Stems of F. sublimbatus are dimorphic, unlike the monomorphic stems of F. crispus. Leaves of infertile stems are small, ovate-lanceolate and usually apiculate, the apiculus formed by a single, clear, sharp cell. The dorsal lamina in these leaves usually ends well before the insertion, are often arched, and the limbidium is most often restricted to the vaginant laminae but can be absent. The 1-stratose limbidium is best developed on perichaetial and larger leaves, but ends below the leaf apex and is usually edged by distinctly chlorophyllose cells. The percurrent costa occurs mostly in perichaetial leaves. As in F. crispus, the distal laminal cells are arranged in distinct rows.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
CalFlora
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
KS Wildflowers
USDA Plants Database
