Fissidens subbasilaris |
Fissidentaceae |
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fissidens moss |
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Habit | Plants to 12 × 1.5–3.5 mm. | Plants tiny to robust. |
Stem | branched; axillary hyaline nodules absent; central strand present. |
, except for initial stages, growing from a 2-sided apical cell. |
Leaves | 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. |
distichous, equitant, complex in form, consisting of two vaginant laminae that clasp the stem, a ventral lamina located above the vaginant laminae, and a dorsal lamina that occupies the length of the leaf opposite the vaginant and ventral laminae; costa single, usually well developed, near center of leaf, sometimes reduced, absent or nearly so. |
Seta | 1.5–5.5 mm. |
elongate. |
Capsule | theca 0.8–2.1 mm, erect, radially symmetric or nearly so; peristome taxifolius-type; operculum long rostrate, 0.6–0.9 mm. |
cylindric, peristome single, teeth 16, haplolepidous, endostomate, usually divided 1/2–2/3 their length, sometimes irregularly divided or undivided, sometimes reduced, (rarely absent). |
Calyptra | cucullate, smooth, 1.5 mm. |
cucullate. |
Spores | 13–18 µm. |
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Sporophytes | 1 per perichaetium. |
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Fissidens subbasilaris |
Fissidentaceae |
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Habitat | Particularly around bases of trees, also rocks, mostly limestone, infrequently decaying wood | |
Distribution |
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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Worldwide; mostly tropics |
Discussion | 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.) |
Genus 1, species 450 (37 in the flora). Fissidentaceae is recognized easily by its distichous and equitant leaves. This leaf form is closest to that of Bryoxiphium. The hepatic Diplophyllum is often confused with Fissidens. Relationship of the Fissidentaceae is with the Dicranaceae; both families have similar peristomes but differ principally in leaf structure. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 27, p. 342. | FNA vol. 27, p. 331. |
Parent taxa | Fissidentaceae > Fissidens | |
Sibling taxa | ||
Subordinate taxa | ||
Name authority | Hedwig: Sp. Musc. Frond., 155, plate 39, figs. 6–9. (1801) | Schimper |
Web links |