Fissidens taxifolius |
Fissidens adianthoides |
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fissidens moss, yew-leaf pocket moss |
fissidens moss, maidenhair pocket-moss |
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Habit | Plants to 11 × 3.5 mm. | Plants to 85 × 5 mm. |
Stem | mostly branched; axillary hyaline nodules absent; central strand present. |
mostly branched; axillary hyaline nodules absent; central strand present. |
Leaves | as many as 15 pairs, often undulate, oblong to lanceolate, obtuse to broadly acute, cuspidate, to 2.7 mm × 0.6 mm; dorsal lamina truncate-rounded proximally, ending at insertion, not decurrent; vaginant laminae 2/3 the leaf length, ± equal, minor lamina ending on or near margin; margin evenly serrulate, often crenulate-serrulate on dorsal and ventral laminae, elimbate; costa ending in cuspidate apex, taxifolius-type; laminal cells 1-stratose, distinct, smooth, bulging, firm-walled, irregularly hexagonal, 8–11 µm frequently paler at margin, conspicuously mammillose in vaginant laminae, larger and clearer juxtacostally. |
as many as 60 pairs, somewhat undulate, oblong to lanceolate, acute, occasionally obtuse, to 3.5 × 1.2 mm; dorsal lamina rounded or narrowed proximally, ending at insertion, not decurrent; vaginant laminae 1/2–3/5 the leaf length, ± equal, minor lamina ending on or near margin; margin crenulate to regularly serrulate but irregularly serrate distally, elimbate; costa ending 2–3 cells before apex to percurrent, taxifolius-type; laminal cells usually 1-stratose, infrequently and irregularly 2-stratose in the dorsal and ventral laminae, distinct, smooth, ± plane, firm-walled, irregularly quadrate to hexagonal, 10–20 µm, 1–5 marginal rows usually thinner with slightly thicker walls, forming a lighter marginal band, juxtacostal cells larger, mostly oblong and pellucid; vaginant laminal cells somewhat larger. |
Seta | to 17 mm. |
to 25 mm. |
Sexual condition | rhizautoicous; perigonia on short branches proximal to elongate stems; perichaetia on short, proximal, axillary branches. |
dioicous (?); perigonia not seen; perichaetia on short axillary branches, generally confined to proximal half of stems. |
Capsule | theca slightly inclined, slightly arcuate, bilaterally symmetric, to 1.5 mm; peristome taxifolius-type; operculum to 1 mm. |
theca mostly ± inclined, ± arcuate, bilaterally symmetric, to 1.5 mm; peristome taxifolius-type; operculum to 1.5 mm. |
Calyptra | cucullate, smooth, to 2 mm. |
cucullate, smooth, to 2.5 mm. |
Spores | 13–18 µm. |
13–22 µm. |
Sporophyte(s) | 1 per perichaetium. |
1 per perichetium. |
Fissidens taxifolius |
Fissidens adianthoides |
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Habitat | Damp, shaded soil, humus, and rocks | Seepage areas, along streams, near waterfalls, meadows, soil, around bases of trees, decaying wood, dripping limestone and sandstone rocks and boulders |
Distribution |
AL; AR; AZ; CA; DC; DE; FL; GA; IA; IL; IN; KS; KY; LA; MA; ME; MI; MO; MS; NC; NE; NH; NJ; NY; OH; OK; OR; PA; SC; TN; TX; VA; VT; WA; WI; WV; NS; NT; ON; PE; QC; Mexico; Central America; West Indies; South America (Brazil and Chile); Europe; Asia (China, Japan); Pacific Islands (New Zealand)
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AK; AL; AR; CA; CT; DE; FL; GA; IA; ID; IL; IN; KS; KY; LA; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; MO; MS; MT; NC; NJ; NY; OH; OK; OR; PA; RI; TN; TX; VA; VT; WA; WI; WV; WY; AB; BC; NB; NF; NS; NT; NU; ON; QC; SK; YT; Asia; Greenland; Europe; Africa
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Discussion | Fissidens taxifolius is distinguished by evenly serrulate or crenulate-serrulate leaf margin, stout costa ending in leaf cusp, conspicuous mammillose cells in the vaginant laminae, and sporophytes on short branches in the axils of proximal leaves. It can be confused with F. bushii, but that species is smaller, has costa shorter, and cells in the vaginant laminae have small, more or less inconspicuous papillae in the corners of the walls. Fissidens taxifolius usually occurs on shaded, damp soil or humus, whereas F. bushii is usually found on disturbed soil in woods, along paths, and in road cuts. Fissidens clebschii is considered to be a freakish expression of F. taxifolius (R. A. Pursell 2003). (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
The usually 1-stratose, distinct, smooth, plane laminal cells, lighter band of marginal laminal cells, and short perichaetial stems in the axils of proximal leaves distinguish Fissidens adianthoides. The species, nevertheless, can be confused with F. osmundioides, which has similar laminal cells without a marginal band of lighter cells and a serrate leaf apex, but which differs in having terminal perichaetia and papillose rhizoids. Fissidens dubius, which also has short perichaetial stems in the axils of proximal leaves and often a lighter band of marginal laminal cells, differs from F. adianthoides in its smaller and rather obscure laminal cells that are consistently irregularly 2-stratose. Fissidens adianthoides and F. dubius (as F. cristatus), according to cytological evidence presented by L. E. Anderson and V. S. Bryan (1956), are distantly related. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 27, p. 341. | FNA vol. 27, p. 339. |
Parent taxa | Fissidentaceae > Fissidens | Fissidentaceae > Fissidens |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | F. clebschii | F. adianthoides var. immarginatus |
Name authority | Hedwig: Sp. Musc. Frond., 155, plate 39, figs. 1–5. (1801) | Hedwig: Sp. Musc. Frond., 157. (1801) |
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