Fissidens taxifolius
Fissidens pauperculus
fissidens moss, yew-leaf pocket moss
fissidens moss, poor pocket moss
mostly branched;
axillary hyaline nodules absent;
central strand present.
unbranched;
axillary hyaline nodules absent;
central strands weak.
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 5 pairs, oblong to oblanceolate to lanceolate, acute to short-acuminate, to 2.1 × 0.6 mm;
margin crenulate-serrulate but often sharply serrate on distal parts of vaginant laminae, elimbate;
dorsal lamina usually narrowed proximally, ending at insertion, not decurrent;
vaginant laminae ± 1/2–2/3 leaf length, unequal, minor lamina ending near margin;
costa ending 6–15 cells before apex, bryoides-type;
laminal cells 1-stratose, distinct, smooth, plane, firm-walled, long-hexagonal to oblong to regularly quadrate, decreasing in size from costa to margin, medial cells 10–54 × 12–25 µm, largest along costa, marginal cells 9–15 µm, juxtacostal cells in vaginant laminae pellucid, greatly enlarged.
to 17 mm.
2.5–5 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, usually inclined, slightly arcuate, bilaterally symmetric, infrequently erect, nearly radially symmetric, 0.7 mm;
peristome scariosus-type;
operculum 0.3–0.8 mm.
cucullate, smooth, to 2 mm.
cucullate, smooth, 0.4 mm.
13–18 µm.
9–13 µm.
1 per perichaetium.
1 per perichaetium.
Fissidens taxifolius
Fissidens pauperculus
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 pauperculus is distinguished by its short costa, and smooth, plane laminal cells that gradually decrease in size outwardly. P. A. Florschütz (1964) equated specimens from Suriname with this species. R. A. Pursell (1994b) demonstrated, however, that the North American plants are different from those of South America. Although close to the South American plants that belong to F. inaequalis Mitten, the North American species differs by its slightly smaller laminal cells and in the absence of truncate-retuse vaginant laminae in the perichaetial leaves.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
CalFlora
Flora NW
IL Wildflowers
KS Wildflowers
LA Plants
MI Flora
MO Plants
PNW Herbaria
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
BC
