Fissidens dendrophilus Brugg.-Nann. & Pursell
-
Authority
Pursell, Ronald A. 2007. Fissidentaceae. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 101 (Published by NYBG Press)
-
Family
Fissidentaceae
-
Scientific Name
-
Type
Type. Brazil. Rio Grande do Sul: Portão, on tree, 40 m, Sehnem 300 (holotype, NY; isotype, FH).
-
Description
Species Description - Plants light green. Stems monomorphic, to 6 mm long x 1.5-3 mm wide, unbranched and branched; rhizoids basal and axillary, smooth, reddish; axillary hyaline nodules absent; epidermis and 2-3 tiers of outer cortical cells small, incrassate, pigmented; inner cortical cells larger, thin-walled, hyaline; central strand present. Leaves inrolled from tips, ± crispate when dry, imbricate, as many as 15 pairs, oblong-lingulate, broadly acute to obtuse, sometimes undulate, 1.4-2.2 mm long x 0.25-0.40 mm wide, perichaetial leaves often longest; margin crenulate-serrulate, elimbate; costa ending 11-25 cells below leaf apex, oblongifolius type, distal part in transverse section showing 2 stereid bands separated by 4 enlarged cells arranged in 2 rows; dorsal lamina narrowed, ending at or just above insertion; vaginant laminae of cauline leaves 1/2-3/5 leaf length, acute, slightly unequal, minor lamina ending near leaf margin; laminal cells distinct, eguttulate, unistratose, firm-walled, lenticularly thickened in dorsal and ventral laminae, irregularly quadrate to hexagonal, 6- 7.5µm long, vaginant laminal cells smooth, plane. Dioicous (?) or monoicous (rhizautoicous) (?); perigonia and perichaetia terminal on elongate stems. Sporophytes 1-2 per perichaetium, yellow, darkening with age; seta smooth, 2.5-3 mm long; theca exserted, erect, radially symmetric, 6 mm long, stomatose, exothecial cells quadrate to oblong, col- lenchymatous; peristome similiretis type. Operculum, spores, and calyptra not seen.
-
Discussion
Fissidens dendrophilus, F. santaclarensis, and F. radicans form a triad of closely related species in the Neotropics. A fourth closely related species, F. microcarpus Mitt., occurs in tropical Africa. Fissidens dendrophilus and F. santa-clarensis lack the caducous leaves that are characteristic of F. radicans, and both of these species have a typical similiretis type peristome unlike the anomalous peristome of F. radicans. The broadly acute to obtuse leaf apex of F. dendrophilus will separate it from F. santa-clarensis in which the leaves are abruptly narrowed to obtuse-rounded apices.
-
Distribution
South America (Brazil, French Guiana); on tree bark; 40210m.
Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni French Guiana South America| Brazil South America|