Fissidens steerei Grout
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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
Type. Mexico. Yucatán: Chichén Itzá, Steere 1539 (holotype, DUKE; isotype, MICH).
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Description
Species Description - Plants light to dark green. Stems monomorphic, delicate, unbranched and branched, to 10 mm long x 1.5 mm wide; rhizoids basal, smooth, light brown; axillary hyaline nodules present or absent; 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 imbricate, as many as 28 pairs, lanceolate to ovate-oblong, acute to obtuse, to 0.95 mm long x 0.25 mm wide; margin crenulate, elimbate; costa ending several cells below the leaf apex, sometimes spurred distally, bryoides type; dorsal lamina broad, rounded proximally, not decurrent; vaginant laminae of cauline leaves 1/2-2/3 leaf length, acute, unequal, minor lamina ending 1/2 or less of the distance between costa and margin; laminal cells distinct, eguttulate, unistratose, firm-walled, mammillose, rarely only bulging, ± hexagonal, 8-11 µm long. Monoicous (rhizautoicous, cladautoicous); perigonia and perichaetia terminal on stems and branches of ± equal length. Sporophytes 1 per perichaetium, rarely produced, yellow, darkening with age; seta smooth, to 3 mm long; theca exserted, erect, radially symmetric, to 0.6 mm long, stomatose, exothecial cells quadrate to oblong, collenchymatous; peristome scariosus type; operculum conic, long-rostrate, 0.5 mm long. Spores smooth, 8-10 µm diam. Calyptra not seen.
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Discussion
The small, delicate plants of Fissidens steerei, named in honor of one of the foremost bryologists of the 20th century by a student, A. J. Grout, of American Fissidens, are characterized by small, mostly obtuse leaves, a costa ending several cells below the leaf apex, elimbate leaf margin, and mammillose laminal cells. The broad distribution of F. steerei is remarkable; sporophytes are seldom produced and there is no evidence of gemmae. The species can be confused with F. serratus, but in this species the leaves are usually sharply serrate and the leaf margin, especially on the vaginant laminae, can be coarsely serrate to dentate and sometimes limbate.
Distribution and Ecology: Mexico (Jalisco, Querétaro, San Luís Potosí, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Yucatán); Central America (Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama); West Indies (Cuba, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Puerto Rico); South America (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Trinidad, Venezuela); on soil, limestone, and sandstone, generally along streams and near waterfalls; sea level-1400 m.
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Distribution
Trinidad and Tobago South America| Saint Ann Jamaica South America| Jalisco Mexico North America| Querétaro Mexico North America| San Luis Potosí Mexico North America| Tabasco Mexico North America| Tamaulipas Mexico North America| Veracruz Mexico North America| Jalapa Guatemala Central America| Cayo Belize Central America| Toledo Belize Central America| Copán Honduras Central America| El Paraíso Honduras Central America| Olancho Honduras Central America| San Salvador El Salvador Central America| Guanacaste Costa Rica Central America| Puntarenas Costa Rica Central America| Colón Panama Central America| Panamá Panama Central America| La Habana Cuba South America| Portland Jamaica South America| Samaná Dominican Republic South America| Puerto Rico South America| Huila Colombia South America| Magdalena Colombia South America| Amazonas Venezuela South America| Aragua Venezuela South America| Lara Venezuela South America| Monagas Venezuela South America| Sucre Venezuela South America| Napo Ecuador South America| La Paz Bolivia South America|