Fissidens ramicola Broth.
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Authority
Pursell, Ronald A. 2007. Fissidentaceae. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 101 (Published by NYBG Press)
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Family
Fissidentaceae
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Scientific Name
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Type
Types. Brazil. Amazonas: Rio Juruá, Juruá Miry, an Stämmchen, Ule 2263 (lectotype, H-BR, designated by Pursell, 1986b), 2259, 2279 (syntypes, H-BR).
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Synonyms
Fissidens pseudomicrocladus Pursell
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Description
Species Description - Plants dull green. Stems monomorphic, unbranched and branched, to 6 mm long x 2 mm wide; rhizoids basal, smooth, reddish; axillary hyaline nodules absent; epidermis and outer 1-2 tiers of cortical cells small, incrassate, pigmented; inner cortical cells larger, thin-walled, hyaline; central strand present. Leaves crispate, somewhat inrolled from tips when dry, distant to loosely imbricate, as many as 16 pairs, lingulate, obtuse to rounded, to 1.2 mm long x 0.4 mm wide; margin crenulate, limbate on proximal 1/2 of vaginant laminae of perichaetial and subtending pair of leaves, limbidium indistinct, sometimes not differentiated, limbidial cells unistratose; costa ending 2-4 cells below apex, bryoides type; dorsal lamina narrowed abruptly, usually ending above the insertion; vaginant laminae 1/2-2/3 leaf length, acute, slightly unequal, minor lamina usually ending less than 1/2 the distance between costa and margin; laminal cells ± obscure, eguttulate, unistratose, firm-walled, pluripapillose, rounded-hexagonal, 5-7 µm long, in transverse section twice as deep as wide. Monoicous (go-nioautoicous, rhizautoicous); perigonia gemmiform, axillary or terminal on stems as long as perichaetial stems; perichaetia terminal on stems and branches. Sporophytes 1-2 per perichaetium, yellow, darkening with age; seta smooth, to 1.5 mm long; theca exserted, erect, radially symmetric, to 0.6 mm long, stomatose, exothecial cells quadrate to oblong, vertical walls thicker than horizontal walls, collenchymatous; peristome scariosus type; operculum conic, short-rostrate, ca. 0.2 mm long. Spores finely papillose, 16-18 µm diam. Calyptra not seen.
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Discussion
Fissidens ramicola (as F. pseudo-microcladus) has been compared with F pallidinervis. Both species have pluripapillose laminai cells and a limbidium restricted to the vaginant laminae of perichaetial and subtending leaves. Fissidens ramicola, however, differs from F. pallidinervis by its abruptly narrowed dorsal lamina that ends well above the insertion. The species is closest to F. brevipes from which it can be distinguished by a longer costa that is not obscured distally by overlying chlorophyllose cells, and the presence of a limbidium. The lingulate leaves, as opposed to narrow, lanceolate leaves, will distinguish the species from F. stenopteryx. Sometimes the papillae are difficult to observe except in a transverse section of the leaf. If the papillae are not seen, the abruptly narrowed dorsal lamina could lead one to F. subramicola in which the plants are larger and the lamina cells are smooth.
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Distribution
Mexico (Chiapas, Veracruz); South America (Brazil, Guyana, Suriname); on twigs, lianas, and tree trunks; ± 500 m.
Chiapas Mexico North America| Rupununi Guyana South America| Sipaliwini Suriname South America| Espirito Santo Brazil South America|