Fissidens fontanus (Bach.Pyl.) Steud.
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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 mostly dark-green to brownish-black, yellow-green at growing tips, generally much branched, delicate and feathery in appearance, up to 12 cm or more in length, usually submerged. Leaves usually distant, to 6 mm long, linear-Ianceolate, broadly acute to acuminate; margins unbordered, ± entire; costa ending several cells below the apex; dorsal lamina narrowed below and usually ending above the insertion; vaginant laminae less than 1/2 leaf length, somewhat unequal, the upper end of the smaller one often ending on or near the costa or rounded and free; cells unistratose, smooth, irregularly hexagonal to quadrate, up to 24 µm in longest dimension, noticeably smaller toward the margins. Cladautoicous; perichaetia and perigonia terminal on short, axillary branches. Sporophytes rare; setae shorter than the erect, symmetric capsules that are about 0.5 mm long; opercula long-rostrate; peristome teeth papillose, irregularly divided, truncate. Spores smooth, 18-21 µm. Calyptrae conic-mitrate, smooth. Distinguishing features include the aquatic habitat, delicate, feathery appearance, and linear-lanceolate, unistratose leaves with greatly reduced vaginant laminae.
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Discussion
Fig. 59a, b
F. fontanus (B.-Pyl.) Steud., Nom. Bot. 2: 166. 1824.
Skitophyllum fontanum B.-Pyl., J. Bot. (Paris) II, 4(4): 158. 1814.
Fontinalis Juliana D C , Fl. Fran?, (ed. 3) 6: 236.1815.
Fissidens debilis Schwaegr., Sp. Muse Suppl. 1(2): 11. 1816.
F.julianus (DC.) Schimp., Flora 21: 271. 1838.
Conomitrium mexicanum C. Mull., Bot. Zeitung 22: 347.1864.
Fissidens mexicanus(C. Mull.) Mitt., J. Linn. Soc, Bot. 12:584.1869.
Conomitrium julianum var. mexicanum (C. Mull.) Schimp. ex Besch., Mem. Soc. Sci. Nat. Cherbourg 16: 171. 1872.
C tuerckheimiiC. Mull., Bull. Herb. Boissier 5:173. 1897.
Fissidens tuerckheimiiC. Mull.) Broth, in E. & P., Nat. Pfl. 1(3): 361. 1901.
Octodiceras mexicana (C. Mull.) Card, ex Britt., Bryologist 12: 83. 1909.
O. tuerckheimii (C. Mull.) Card., Rev. Bryol. 38: 100. 1911.
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Distribution
Attached to rocks and twigs in streams at elevations of 1200-1700 m; Chihuahua, Chiapas, Jalisco, Morelos, Oaxaca, Puebla, Tamaulipas, Tlaxcala, Veracruz, Zacatecas.—Mexico; Guatemala; West Indies; North America from Ontario and Minnesota south to Florida and Texas and from British Columbia to Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and California; Europe; northern Africa
Mexico North America| Guatemala Central America| West Indies| Canada North America| United States of America North America| Europe| Algeria Africa| Egypt Africa| Tunisia Africa| Libya Africa| Morocco Africa| Sudan Africa|