Fissidens fontanus
Fissidens santa-clarensis
fissidens moss, water pocket moss
usually profusely branched;
axillary hyaline nodules absent;
central strand absent.
unbranched and branched;
axillary hyaline nodules absent;
central strand present or absent.
in numerous pairs, lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, frequently somewhat falcate, acute, to 7 × 0.6 mm;
dorsal lamina narrowed proximally, usually ending before insertion;
vaginant laminae 1/3–1/2 the leaf length, unequal, minor lamina usually rounded and free distally or narrowed and ending on or near costa;
margin ± entire, elimbate;
costa ending 15–35 cells before apex, bryoides-type;
laminal cells usually 1-stratose, sometimes 2-stratose juxtacostally, quadrate to short-oblong to hexagonal, smooth, slightly bulging, ± firm-walled, 15–23 × 10–18 µm in dorsal and ventral laminae, juxtacostal cells largest.
as many as 25 pairs, often undulate, oblong-lingulate, abruptly narrowed to rounded-obtuse apex, 1.2–2 × 0.3–0.4 mm;
dorsal lamina narrowed proximally, rounded, ending a short distance before insertion;
vaginant laminae 1/2–2/3 the leaf length, acute, ± unequal, minor lamina ending near margin;
margin crenulate, elimbate;
costa ending 4–10 cells before apex, oblongifolius-type, distal part of leaf in transverse section showing 4 enlarged cells arranged in 2 rows;
laminal cells in dorsal and ventral laminae 1-stratose, distinct, lenticularly thickened but appearing mammillose, firm-walled, irregularly hexagonal, 6–9 µm, juxtacostal and interior cells of vaginant laminae 1-stratose, smooth, plane, larger;
medial marginal cells of vaginant laminae not differing perceptively from interior cells.
0.5–0.6 mm.
to 4.5 mm.
gonioautoicous and cladautoicous;
perigonia and perichaetia on short axillary branches, 1–5 per leaf axil, sometimes on elongate, axillary branches.
cladautoicous;
perigonia and perichaetia on main stems and branches.
theca 0.5–0.6 mm, erect, radially symmetric;
peristome anomalous, irregularly divided, ± incomplete, often truncate, papillose;
operculum as long as seta.
theca erect, radially symmetric, 0.3–1 mm;
peristome similiretis-type;
operculum 0.5–0.6 mm.
mitrate, smooth.
0.7–0.8 mm.
18–27 µm.
11–15 µm.
1–5 per leaf axil, inconspicuous.
1 per perichaetium.
Fissidens fontanus
Fissidens santa-clarensis
Fissidens fontanus and F. hallianus are aquatic species usually found in stagnant or slow moving water, but at times emergent because of fluctuating water levels (H. A. Crum and L. E. Anderson 1981; P. G. Davison and D. E. Wujek 1999). Plants of both species are usually profusely branched, delicate, and feathery in appearance with leaves often 10 times or more as long as wide. Often plants are encrusted with diatoms. Stems and leaves might also appear black due to deposition of organic matter. When dry the leaves are unusually fragile so that when being prepared for herbarium storage it is best to float plants onto sheets prior to drying.
A suite of gametophytic and sporophytic characters distinguishes Fissidens fontanus. The unequal vaginant laminae are about 1/4–1/3 the leaf length, and minor lamina is round and more or less free distally. In addition, costa ends well below the leaf apex. In fertile specimens, the clusters of 1–5 axillary, inconspicuous, dark sporophytes in each perichaetium are distinctive. The sporophytes, more prevalent than thought, are caducous and are often found in the bottom of the herbarium packets. The short seta is equal in length to that of operculum, and peristome teeth are greatly reduced, often consisting of only the truncated, undivided basal parts.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Fissidens santa-clarensis, named for a province in Cuba, is restricted in the United States to peninsular Florida (Citrus, Collier, Dade, Levy, Manatee, Marion, Monroe, Polk, and Sumter counties). The species can be recognized by its abruptly narrowed, rounded-obtuse leaf apex, lenticularly-thickened dorsal and ventral laminal cells, short oblongifolius-type costa that in transverse section of the distal part shows four enlarged cells arranged in two rows, and similiretis-type of peristome. Collections of F. santa-clarensis were long assigned by American authors to F. radicans Montagne, a closely related species with caducous leaves, a broadly acute to rounded leaf apex, and an anomalous peristome with teeth undivided or irregularly divided.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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