Fissidens taxifolius
Fissidens minutulus
fissidens moss, yew-leaf pocket moss
mostly branched;
axillary hyaline nodules absent;
central strand present.
unbranched;
axillary hyaline nodules absent;
central strand present or 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 12 pairs, lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, occasionally narrowly lanceolate, acute to rarely apiculate, to 1.2 × 0.2–0.3 mm;
dorsal lamina narrowed proximally, ending at or sometimes before insertion;
vaginant laminae 1/2 leaf length, ± equal, minor lamina ending on or near margin;
margin entire but serrulate to denticulate distally, limbate on all laminae, limbidium ending a few to several cells before leaf apex, not reaching proximal end of dorsal lamina, sometimes edged by 1 or more rows of quadrate cells in proximal part of vaginant laminae, limbidial cells 1-stratose;
costa ending a few cells before apex to percurrent, bryoides-type;
laminal cells 1-stratose, smooth, strongly bulging, ± obscure, firm-walled, irregularly quadrate to hexagonal, mostly 6.5–10 µm, in transverse section twice as deep as wide.
to 17 mm.
1–4.5 mm.
rhizautoicous;
perigonia on short branches proximal to elongate stems;
perichaetia on short, proximal, axillary branches.
rhizautoicous.
theca slightly inclined, slightly arcuate, bilaterally symmetric, to 1.5 mm;
peristome taxifolius-type;
operculum to 1 mm.
theca exserted, usually erect, radially symmetric, 0.2–0.8 mm;
peristome bryoides-type;
operculum 0.3 mm.
cucullate, smooth, to 2 mm.
cucullate, smooth, 0.5 mm.
13–18 µm.
10–16 µm.
1 per perichaetium.
1–2 per perichaetium.
Fissidens taxifolius
Fissidens minutulus
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 minutulus is often confused with an expression of F. bryoides. The two have similar habits, and both are found on rocks at edges of streams, although F. minutulus is found principally on limestone, while F. bryoides occurs mostly on acidic rocks. Moreover, the laminal cells of F. minutulus are small (6–10 µm), strongly bulging, and more or less obscure, unlike the somewhat larger, more or less plane, distinct cells of F. bryoides. In transverse section the laminal cells of F. minutulus are twice as deep as wide, while those of F. bryoides are more or less as deep as wide. Stems of F. minutulus are unbranched while those of F. bryoides are branched.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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