Fissidens zollingeri Mont.

  • 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.

  • Family

    Fissidentaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Fissidens zollingeri Mont.

  • Description

    Species Description - Plants small, (1.5-)2-4.5(-5) mm long, light-green, rarely branched, decumbent or erect, radiculose at base and along the ventral sides, with hyaline nodules in leaf axils. Leaves only slightly altered on drying, mostly spreading so that the plants have a palmate or flabelliform appearance, lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, acute; margins entire but often serrulate at the apex, bordered on all laminae, the border usually bistratose; costa flexuous to straight, strong, percurrent to short-excurrent; dorsal lamina not decurrent, sometimes ending above the insertion; vaginant laminae ± 1/2 the leaf length, ± equal; cells irregularly hexagonal, (6.5-)10-13(-18) µm, often larger and clearer along the costa, smooth or slightly bulging, much enlarged (up to 90 x 50 um), lax, and pellucid in the lower 1/3 -1/2 of the vaginant laminae. Rhizautoicous, cladautoicous, or synoicous. Antheridial stems usually much smaller than archegonial stems. Setae l(-2) per perichaetium, (1.5—)3—5(—7.5) mm long; capsules erect and symmetric or sometimes slightly curved and somewhat asymmetric, 0.5-0.8 mm long; opercula long-rostrate, as long as the µm; peristome teeth finely papillose below, spirally thickened above. Spores (6.5—)10—13(—16) µm. Calyptrae cucullate, smooth.

  • Discussion

    Fig. 51

    F. zollingeri Mont., Ann. Sci. Nat. Bot. Ill, 4: 114. 1845.

    F. kegelianus C. Mull., Linnaea 21: 181. 1848.

    F. clavipes Sull., Proc. Amer. Acad. 5: 275. 1861.

    F. monandrus Mitt., J. Linn. Soc, Bot. 12: 598. 1869.

    F.flexifrons Besch., Rev. Bryol. 18: 50.1891.

    F. conostegus C. Mull., Gen. Muse Frond. 57.1901, nom. nud.

    Fissidens zollingeri, F. angustifolius, and F. yucatanensis have large, lax, hyaline cells in the lower halves of vaginant laminae and fully bordered leaves. Whereas the t w o latter have mammillose (unipapillose) cells, F. zollingeri has smooth or only slightly bulging cells.

  • Distribution

    On soil, rotten wood, and limestone at low elevations, up to ca. 300 m; Campeche, Chiapas, Jalisco, Nayarit, Nuevo Leon, Oaxaca, Quintana Roo, Sinaloa, Tabasco, Veracruz, Yucatan.—Mexico; Central America; northern South America; West Indies; Georgia, Rorida, and Louisiana; Asia; Pacific Islands; Africa.

    Africa| Asia| United States of America North America| West Indies| Brazil South America| Peru South America| Ecuador South America| Colombia South America| Venezuela South America| Guyana South America| Suriname South America| French Guiana South America| Central America| Mexico North America|