Fissidens limbatus Sull.
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Authority
Sharp, Aaron J., et al. 1994. The Moss Flora of Mexico. Part One: Sphagnales to Bryales. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 69 (1): 1-452.
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Family
Fissidentaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Species Description - Plants 3-5(-8) mm long, erect to decumbent, simple to branched from older stems. Leaves usually tightly crisped when dry and rolled inward toward the stem, 1-2 mm long, those of the perichaetia longest, elliptic to broadly lanceolate, acute to very short-acuminate or obtuse and short-apiculate; margin entire to serrulate at the leaf apex, bordered all around, the border usually ending a few cells below the leaf apex or confluent with the costa in larger leaves, 1-2 cells thick, 1—2(—3) cells wide on dorsal and ventral laminae, wider on vaginant laminae and usually edged below with 1—2(—3) rows of rectangular or quadrate green cells; costa stout, percurrent or ending 2-A cells below the apex, short-excurrent in the larger perichaetial and subtending leaves; dorsal lamina gradually narrowed to the insertion (ceasing above the insertion in smaller leaves); vaginant laminae ± equal in stem leaves, unequal in perichaetial leaves, 2/3 - 3/4 the leaf length; cells small, 6.5-10 µm, irregularly quadrate to hexagonal, usually in discernible rows, the upper cells 2:1 in cross-section, bulging. Gonioautoicous. Setae terminal, 1 per perichaetium, 3-6 mm long; capsules 0.8-1 mm long, usually inclined and asymmetric; opercula rostrate; peristome teeth finely papillose below, spirally thickened and papillose above. Spores 10-13(-16) µm. Calyptrae cucullate, smooth.
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Discussion
Fig. 42
F. limbatus Sull., Pacific R. R. Report 4: 185. 1856.
Fissidens limbatus is related to F. sublimbatus and F. crispus. All three species have small leaf cells arranged more or less in rows and 2:1 in cross-sectional view and may also have green cells edging the border in the lower parts of the vaginant laminae. (These are especially prominent in F. sublimbatus and most specimens of F. limbatus, but much less so in F. crispus.) The dorsal laminae of F. limbatus and F. crispus almost always reach the stem, and those of the latter are often long-decurrent. The dorsal laminae of F. sublimbatus, however, usually end well above the insertion, reaching the stem only in the larger perichaetial leaves. Stems of F. limbatus and F. sublimbatus may develop a red color, but never the lustrous dark-red of F. crispus. Perigonia are axillary in F. limbatus. Fissidens crispus is dioicous (or rhizautoicous), although synoicous and gonioautoicous populations are infrequent. Fissidens sublimbatus is usually cladautoicous but can also be gonioautoicous.
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Distribution
On soil at elevations up to about 1000 m; Baja California (Guadalupe Island) and Baja California Sur.—Mexico; California to Washington.
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