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fissidens moss, yew-leaf pocket moss

fissidens moss

Habit Plants to 11 × 3.5 mm. Plants to 17 × 2–3 mm.
Stem

mostly branched;

axillary hyaline nodules absent;

central strand present.

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 20 pairs, lorate to lanceolate, acute to rounded, apiculate, to 2.35 × 0.35–0.65 mm;

dorsal lamina usually rounded proximally, ending at insertion, sometimes ending before insertion or slightly decurrent;

vaginant laminae 1/2 leaf length, ± equal, minor lamina ending on or near margin;

margin mostly crenulate on dorsal and ventral laminae, mostly serrulate on vaginant laminae and distally, elimbate;

costa variable in length, even on same plant, excurrent into apiculus to ending several cells before apex, taxifolius-type;

lamina cells 1-stratose, distinct, smooth, slightly bulging, firm-walled, quadrate to irregularly hexagonal, 6–15 µm, somewhat larger justacostally, marginal row thinner, paler.

Seta

to 17 mm.

Sexual condition

rhizautoicous;

perigonia on short branches proximal to elongate stems;

perichaetia on short, proximal, axillary branches.

dioicous(?);

perigonia unknown;

perichaetia on short proximal stems and axillary in proximal leaves.

Capsule

theca slightly inclined, slightly arcuate, bilaterally symmetric, to 1.5 mm;

peristome taxifolius-type;

operculum to 1 mm.

Calyptra

cucullate, smooth, to 2 mm.

Spores

13–18 µm.

Sporophytes

1 per perichaetium.

, calyptra, and spores not known.

Fissidens taxifolius

Fissidens aphelotaxifolius

Habitat Damp, shaded soil, humus, and rocks Wet soil, humus, and rocks along streams, near waterfalls, in damp or wet crevices of cliffs
Distribution
from FNA
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)
[WildflowerSearch map]
from FNA
CA; OR; WA; BC
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.)

Fissidens aphelotaxifolius can be confused with F. taxifolius but is best distinguished by its smooth and slightly bulging laminal cells, distinct from the conspicuously mammillose cells in the ventral laminae of the F. taxifolius. Moreover, the plants tend to be smaller and leaf apex more coarsely serrulate than in F. taxifolius. Vegetative propagation of F. aphelotaxifolius is apparently by abundant branched, chlorophyllose filaments.

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

Source FNA vol. 27, p. 341. 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. scalaris, F. serratus, F. subbasilaris, F. sublimbatus, F. submarginatus, F. taylorii, F. ventricosus, F. zollingeri
F. adianthoides, F. amoenus, 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. subbasilaris, F. sublimbatus, F. submarginatus, F. taxifolius, F. taylorii, F. ventricosus, F. zollingeri
Synonyms F. clebschii
Name authority Hedwig: Sp. Musc. Frond., 155, plate 39, figs. 1–5. (1801) Pursell: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 103: 35, figs. 1–15. (1976)
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