Fissidens scalaris
Fissidens sublimbatus
fissidens moss
unbranched and branched;
axillary hyaline nodules present;
central strand present.
usually branched;
axillary hyaline nodules absent;
central strand present.
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 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.
2–6 mm.
to 5 mm.
rhizautoicous;
perigonia gemmiform, proximal to fertile and infertile stems, and as branches along horizontal parts of stems.
cladautoicous, gonioautoicous, and possibly rhizautoicous.
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 exserted, slightly inclined, bilaterally symmetric to erect, radially symmetric, to 1 mm;
peristome bryoides-type;
operculum 0.3 mm.
cucullate, smooth, to 0.45 mm.
cucullate, smooth, 0.6 mm.
20–26 µm.
14–23 µm.
1 per perichaetium.
1 per perichaetium.
Fissidens scalaris
Fissidens sublimbatus
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 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.)
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