Fissidens grandifrons
Fissidens pallidinervis
largeleaf fissidens moss
pale-nerve fissidens moss
usually profusely branched;
axillary hyaline nodules present;
central strand absent.
branched and unbranched;
axillary hyaline nodules absent;
central strand weak or absent.
in as many as 60 or more pairs, lanceolate, obtuse to rounded, to 3 × 0.5 mm;
dorsal lamina narrowed proximally, ending at insertion;
vaginant laminae 1/2–2/3 leaf length, acute, equal;
margin ± entire to crenulate, elimbate;
costa usually difficult to discern, ending a few cells before apex, variable in structure, basically taxifolius-type;
lamina cells 1- to 4-stratose at leaf margin, 2- to pluristratose in interior of dorsal and ventral laminae, 1- to 4-stratose in vaginant laminae, smooth, ± plain, quadrate to hexagonal, 7–13 µm long.
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.
13–19 mm.
to 2 mm.
dioicous (?);
perigonia not seen;
perichaetia on short axillary branches in medial leaves.
rhizautoicous, cladautoicous, rarely gonioautoicous.
theca slightly arcuate, bilaterally symmetric, astomatose, exothecial cells quadrate to oblong, vertical walls thicker than horizontal walls, 1.5–2 mm;
peristome taxifolius-type.
theca exserted, erect, radially symmetric, to 0.6 mm;
peristome scariosus-type;
operculum 0.3 mm.
cucullate, ± prorate, 0.3 µm. Spores 9–14µm.
20–23 µm.
1–2 per perichaetium.
Fissidens grandifrons
Fissidens pallidinervis
Fissidens grandifrons is the only species in the flora area with pluristratose laminal cells. It is a robust aquatic species, usually coarse to the touch. The plants are often brown-black, the result of deposition of organic matter. Reproduction in North America, where sporophytes have never been found, is by vegetative means. According to E. J. Hill (1902), multiplication is by small, radiculose branches that are easily detached in the rapidly running streams. Although the gametophyte of F. grandifrons is specialized to an aquatic habitat (thick, lanceolate leaves and long archegonia; Z. Iwatsuki and T. Suzuki 1982; R. A. Pursell and B. H. Allen 1994), the species has retained a distinctly terrestrial type of sporophyte. The description of the sporophyte given here is based on three specimens: Lai 8699 (NY) and Lin 12831 (NICH) from Taiwan; and Higuchi 20161 (NICH) from Pakistan. A. J. Grout (1943) stated that the operculum is “conic-rostrate, about 1 mm long,” and Iwatsuki and Suzuki reported that the calyptra is “cucullate, about 1.6 mm long, smooth.”
(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.)
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