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fissidens moss

Habit Plants 1.5–6 × 1 mm. Plants to 12 × 1.5–3.5 mm.
Stem

unbranched and branched;

axillary hyaline nodules present;

central strand present.

branched;

axillary hyaline nodules absent;

central strand present.

Leaves

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.

as many as 28 pairs, sometimes ± undulate, oblong, obtuse-apiculate to acute, to 2.4 × 0.3–0.4 mm;

dorsal lamina narrowed proximally, ending before or at insertion;

vaginant laminae 1/2–2/3 leaf length, acute, ± unequal, minor lamina ending near margin;

margin evenly crenulate-serrulate but irregularly serrate distally;

costa ending 6–16 cells before apex, covered and obscured above by chlorophyllose cells, taxifolius-type;

lamina cells irregularly 2-stratose, smooth, bulging, firm-walled, irregularly rounded-hexagonal, 7.5–10 µm. Sexual condition gonioautoicous and cladautoicous;

perigonia gemmiform, axillary, and on short branches;

perichaetia on short axillary branches near proximal ends of stem.

Seta

2–6 mm.

1.5–5.5 mm.

Sexual condition

rhizautoicous;

perigonia gemmiform, proximal to fertile and infertile stems, and as branches along horizontal parts of stems.

Capsule

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.

theca 0.8–2.1 mm, erect, radially symmetric or nearly so;

peristome taxifolius-type;

operculum long rostrate, 0.6–0.9 mm.

Calyptra

cucullate, smooth, to 0.45 mm.

cucullate, smooth, 1.5 mm.

Spores

20–26 µm.

13–18 µm.

Sporophytes

1 per perichaetium.

1 per perichaetium.

Fissidens scalaris

Fissidens subbasilaris

Habitat Bare, disturbed soil of stream banks and roadsides, loess banks, often more or less buried Particularly around bases of trees, also rocks, mostly limestone, infrequently decaying wood
Distribution
from FNA
AL; FL; LA; NC; OK; TX; South America
from FNA
AL; AR; FL; GA; IA; IL; IN; KS; KY; LA; MA; MD; ME; MI; MO; MS; NC; NH; NY; OH; OK; PA; SC; TN; TX; VA; WI; WV; ON; QC; Mexico (San Luis Potosí, Tamaulipas)
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Discussion

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.)

Fissidens subbasilaris is distinguished, even in the field, by a costa obscured by chlorophyllose cells distally, and short perichaetial branches in the axils of proximal leaves. The plants are typically dark-green and often tinged with red.

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

Source FNA vol. 27, p. 347. FNA vol. 27, p. 342.
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. 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. 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. sublimbatus, F. submarginatus, F. taxifolius, F. taylorii, F. ventricosus, F. zollingeri
Synonyms Moenkemeyera neonii, F. neonii
Name authority Mitten: J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 12: 596. (1869) Hedwig: Sp. Musc. Frond., 155, plate 39, figs. 6–9. (1801)
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