Fissidens subradicans Broth.

  • Authority

    Pursell, Ronald A. 2007. Fissidentaceae. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 101 (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Fissidentaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Fissidens subradicans Broth.

  • Type

    Types. Brazil. Goyaz (Goiás]: An vermoderten Bäumen bei Mossâmedes, Jan. 1893, Ule 1506 (lectotype, H-BR, designated by Pursell, 1994c). This collection also contains Fissidens homschuchii.

  • Synonyms

    Fissidens squamulatus Müll.Hal., Fissidens rubiginosulus Broth.

  • Description

    Species Description - Plants dull green. Stems monomorphic, unbranched to sparingly branched, minute, to 3.5 mm long x 1 mm wide; rhizoids basal, smooth, tan to reddish; axillary hyaline nodules present; epidermis and outer tier of cortical cells small, incrassate, pigmented; inner cortical cells larger, thin-walled, hyaline; central strand present. Leaves crispate when dry, distant to loosely imbricate, as many as 19 pairs, usually fewer, oblong-ovate, obtuse-rounded, to 0.8 mm long x 0.2 mm wide; margin crenulate-serrulate, elimbate but sometimes with a short, weak limbidium at proximal ends of vaginant laminae of perichaetial leaves, limbidial cells unistratose; costa ending as many as 6 cells below apex, bryoides type; dorsal lamina narrowed to insertion, not decurrent, sometimes truncate; vaginant laminae of cauline leaves ± 1/2-2/3 leaf length, acute unequal, minor lamina ending ± midway between margin and costa; laminal cells distinct, eguttulate, unistratose, firm-walled, unipapillose, rounded-quadrate to hexagonal, 5-6 pim long. Monoicous (gonioautoicous); perigonia gemmiform, axillary; perichaetia terminal on stems and branches. Sporophytes 1 per perichaetium, yellow, darkening with age; seta smooth, to 1.5 mm long; theca exserted, erect, radially symmetric, to 0.4 mm long, stomatose, exothecial cells oblong, thin-walled; peristome anomalous, teeth undivided, spiculose throughout, except proximally. Opercula, spores, and calyptra not seen.

  • Discussion

    Fissidens subradicans has probably been overlooked because of the size of the plants. However, the obtuse-rounded leaves, unipapillose laminai cells, absence or near absence of a weak limbidium, and the undivided, spiculose peristome teeth distinguish this species from its nearest relative, F. homschuchii.

  • Distribution

    Northern South America (Brazil, Venezuela); on bark of trunks and stems of living trees, decaying wood, and termite mounds; 140 m.

    Amazonas Venezuela South America| Brazil South America|