Fissidens taxifolius
Fissidens amoenus
fissidens moss, yew-leaf pocket moss
mostly branched;
axillary hyaline nodules absent;
central strand present.
unbranched;
axillary hyaline nodules present;
central strands absent.
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 10 pairs, ligulate to lanceolate, acute, usually apiculate, to 1.8 × 0.25 mm;
dorsal lamina narrowed proximally, ending at insertion, not decurrent;
vaginant laminae ± 1/2 leaf length, acute, ± unequal, minor lamina ending near margin;
margin ± evenly crenulate-serrulate, elimbate except for weak limbidium on proximal parts of vaginant laminae of perichaetial leaves;
costa percurrent to ending as many as 5 cells before apex, bryoides-type;
laminal cells 1-stratose, distinct, smooth, often strongly bulging, firm-walled, irregularly quadrate to hexagonal, 8–11 µm, larger and ± oblong juxtacostally in proximal parts of vaginant laminae.
to 17 mm.
to 5 mm.
rhizautoicous;
perigonia on short branches proximal to elongate stems;
perichaetia on short, proximal, axillary branches.
rhizautoicous and gonioautoicous.
theca slightly inclined, slightly arcuate, bilaterally symmetric, to 1.5 mm;
peristome taxifolius-type;
operculum to 1 mm.
theca exserted, erect, radially symmetric, to 0.6 mm;
peristome bryoides-type;
operculum 0.5 mm.
cucullate, smooth, to 2 mm.
cucullate, smooth, 0.5 mm.
13–18 µm.
11–16 µm.
1 per perichaetium.
1 per perichaetium.
Fissidens taxifolius
Fissidens amoenus
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.)
A small, attractive species, Fissidens amoenus can be recognized by its distinct laminal cells, crenulate-serrulate leaf margin, large, more or less oblong, pellucid cells in the proximal parts of the vaginant laminae, and weak limbidium restricted to the proximal parts of the vaginant laminae of perichaetial leaves. The laminal cells have been described as “inconspicuously 1-papillose” (H. A. Crum and L. E. Anderson 1981, as F. hallii), but since that condition is not always present it is perhaps best to regard these cells as strongly bulging.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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