Fissidens taxifolius
Fissidens sublimbatus
fissidens moss, yew-leaf pocket moss
fissidens moss
mostly branched;
axillary hyaline nodules absent;
central strand present.
usually branched;
axillary hyaline nodules absent;
central strand present.
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 22 pairs, ovate to lanceolate, rounded to obtuse-apiculate, apiculus formed of a single, clear, sharp cell, to 1 × 0.1–0.4 mm, perichaetial and larger leaves oblong to oblong-ligulate and lanceolate;
dorsal lamina usually narrowed abruptly proximally, often arched, ending well before insertion;
vaginant laminae 1/2–3/4 leaf length, ± equal, minor lamina ending on or near margin;
margin ± entire but serrulate distally, elimbate or limbate, limbidium 1-stratose, restricted to vaginant laminae or found to variable degrees on all laminae, often conspicuously intralaminal in proximal parts of vaginant laminae;
costa ending 2–5 cells before apex or percurrent, bryoides-type;
laminal cells 1-stratose, smooth, strongly bulging, ± obscure, usually arranged in discernable rows distally, firm-walled, 6–10 µm, twice as deep as wide.
to 17 mm.
to 5 mm.
rhizautoicous;
perigonia on short branches proximal to elongate stems;
perichaetia on short, proximal, axillary branches.
cladautoicous, gonioautoicous, and possibly rhizautoicous.
theca slightly inclined, slightly arcuate, bilaterally symmetric, to 1.5 mm;
peristome taxifolius-type;
operculum to 1 mm.
theca exserted, slightly inclined, bilaterally symmetric to erect, radially symmetric, to 1 mm;
peristome bryoides-type;
operculum 0.3 mm.
cucullate, smooth, to 2 mm.
cucullate, smooth, 0.6 mm.
13–18 µm.
14–23 µm.
1 per perichaetium.
1 per perichaetium.
Fissidens taxifolius
Fissidens sublimbatus
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 sublimbatus is closely allied to F. crispus but is restricted to arid habitats. Indeed, it appears to be the only species of the genus found in Death Valley. Stems of F. sublimbatus are dimorphic, unlike the monomorphic stems of F. crispus. Leaves of infertile stems are small, ovate-lanceolate and usually apiculate, the apiculus formed by a single, clear, sharp cell. The dorsal lamina in these leaves usually ends well before the insertion, are often arched, and the limbidium is most often restricted to the vaginant laminae but can be absent. The 1-stratose limbidium is best developed on perichaetial and larger leaves, but ends below the leaf apex and is usually edged by distinctly chlorophyllose cells. The percurrent costa occurs mostly in perichaetial leaves. As in F. crispus, the distal laminal cells are arranged in distinct rows.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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