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zollinger's fissidens moss

Habit Plants 1.2–10 × 1–2.5 mm. Plants to 5.5 × 3.0 mm.
Stem

unbranched and branched;

axillary hyaline nodules present;

central strand weak or absent.

unbranched and branched;

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 12 pairs, lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, rarely linear-lanceolate, acute or infrequently obtuse, to 2.5 × 0.5 mm;

dorsal lamina narrowed proximally, ending at insertion, not decurrent;

vaginant laminae ± 1/2 leaf length, equal;

margin entire but serrulate distally, limbate on all laminae, limbidium confluent at apex or ending slightly before, limbidial cells 1- or 2-stratose;

costa percurrent to short-excurrent, bryoides-type;

laminal cells 1-stratose, distinct, smooth, slightly bulging, firm-walled, irregularly hexagonal, 6.5–18 µm, greatly enlarged, ± oblong, ± pellucid in juxtacostal patches in proximal portions of vaginant laminae.

Seta

to 12 mm.

Sexual condition

rhizoautoicous;

perigonia gemmiform, proximal to infertile and fertile stems.

rhizautoicous and synoicous.

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 erect, radially symmetric to slightly arcuate, bilaterally symmetric, 0.5–0.8 mm;

peristome scariosus-type;

operculum to 0.8 mm.

Calyptra

cucullate, smooth, 0.5 mm.

cucullate, smooth, 0.6 mm.

Spores

11–18 µm.

10–13 µm.

Sporophytes

1 per perichaetium.

1–2 per perichaetium.

Fissidens curvatus

Fissidens zollingeri

Habitat Bare, shaded soil, often among grasses in open Quercus forests and around bases of coastal shrubs Damp calcareous soil and limestone rocks in ravines and woods
Distribution
from FNA
CA; Mexico; South America; West Indies; Europe; Asia; Africa; Pacific Islands (New Caledonia, New Zealand); Australia
from FNA
AL; FL; GA; LA; MS; 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 zollingeri is best distinguished by its usually palmately arranged leaves, limbidium present on all laminae of the leaf, and juxtacostal patches of enlarged, oblong, pellucid cells in the proximal parts of the vaginant laminae. The distal laminal cells are distinct, smooth, and slightly bulging. It is closely related to two other tropical species, F. angustifolius Sullivant and F. yucatanensis Steere, both of which have limbate leaves and groups of enlarged, pellucid cells in the proximal parts of the vaginant laminae. The distal laminal cells of those species, however, are mammillose. Axillary, stalked, multicellular, clavate gemmae have been observed in tropical specimens of F. zollingeri.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 27, p. 347. FNA vol. 27, p. 356.
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. 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
Synonyms F. milobakeri F. kegelianus
Name authority Hornschuch: Linnaea 15: 148. (1841) Montagne: Ann. Sci. Nat., Bot., sér. 3, 4: 114. (1845)
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