Fissidens spurio-limbatus Broth.

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Fissidentaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Fissidens spurio-limbatus Broth.

  • Type

    Types. Brazil. Goyaz [Goiás]: Mossâmedes, an Abhãngen im Walde, Ule 1518 (lectotype, H-BR, designated here); an Abhangen bei Alicuns (?), Ule 1522 (syntype, H-BR).

  • Description

    Species Description - Plants pale green. Stems monomorphic, delicate, unbranched and branched, to 3.5 mm long x 1.2 mm wide; rhizoids basal, smooth, reddish; axillary hyaline nodules present; epidermis and outer tier of cortical cells small, incrassate, pigmented; inner cortical cells larger, thin-walled, hyaline; central strand absent. Leaves somewhat crispate when dry, distant to loosely imbricate, as many as 15 pairs, lanceolate, usually short-acuminate, to 1.1 mm long x 0.1-0.2 mm wide, perichaetial leaves largest; margin crenulate where elimbate, ± entire where limbate, weak limbidium present on proximal 1/2 or less of vaginant laminae of most leaves, limbidial cells unistratose; costa excurrent, sometimes percurrent, bryoides type; dorsal lamina narrowed to insertion, often somewhat rounded; vaginant laminae of cauline leaves 1/2-2/3 leaf length, acute, equal; laminal cells distinct, eguttulate, unistratose, firm-walled, mammillose, mammillae often present only on one side of dorsal and ventral laminal cells, irregularly quadrate to hexagonal, 7-14 µm, marginal cells often oblate, 9.0-10.0 µm x 11.0-14.5 µm, cells in proximal parts of vaginant laminae ± smooth, larger and quadrate to oblong. Monoicous (synoicous, rhizautoicous); antheridia and archegonia in same terminal perichaetium or perigonia terminal on short stems; perichaetia terminal on stems and branches. Sporophytes, spores, and calyptra not seen.

  • Discussion

    Brotherus distinguished F. spurio-limbatus by its conspicuous oblate marginal cells, forming what he considered a spurious limbidium. Such cells, however, are not seen on all leaves. There is present, however, a poorly defined unistratose true limbidium on the proximal parts of many leaves. Fissidens spurio-limbatus is distinguished by its small size and delicate appearance, coupled with the excurrent costa, usually oblate marginal cells, and mammillae that are often present on only one surface of the dorsal and ventral laminae. Fissidens serratus, a closely related species differs by its shorter costa and a coarsely serrate margin, particularly on the vaginant laminae.

  • Distribution

    South America (Brazil, Paraguay, Venezuela); on soil and limestone; 100-950 m.

    Monagas Venezuela South America| Distrito Federal Brazil South America| Espirito Santo Brazil South America| Goiás Brazil South America| Paraná Brazil South America| São Paulo Brazil South America| Alto Paraguay Paraguay South America|