Fissidens fontanus (Bach.Pyl.) Steud.

  • Authority

    Pursell, Ronald A. 2007. Fissidentaceae. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 101 (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Fissidentaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Fissidens fontanus (Bach.Pyl.) Steud.

  • Type

    Type (from protologue). Ouest de la France, à Fougères (département d Ille et Vilaine), Laval, Maine, Bretagne, Napoleónville (Pontivi). Type not seen.

  • Synonyms

    Fissidens fontanus (Bach.Pyl.) Steud., Skitophyllum fontanum Bach.Pyl., Octodiceras fontanum (Bach.Pyl.) Lindb., Conomitrium mexicanum Müll.Hal., Fissidens mexicanus (Müll.Hal.) Mitt., Conomitrium julianum var. mexicanum (Müll.Hal.) Schimp., Octodiceras mexicanum (Müll.Hal.) A.Jaeger, Fissidens julianus var. mexicanus (Müll.Hal.) Thér., Conomitrium tuerckheimii Müll.Hal., Fissidens tuerckheimii (Müll.Hal.) Broth., Octodiceras tuerckheimii (Müll.Hal.) Cardot

  • Description

    Species Description - Plants and stems as in subgeneric description. Leaves ± crispate, fragile when dry, usually distant, in many pairs, lanceolate to linear lanceolate, usually broadly acute, to 7 mm long x 0.6 mm wide, usually 10 times or more as long as wide; costa ending 15-35 cells below leaf apex, bryoides type; margin ± entire, elimbate; dorsal lamina usually ending above insertion; vaginant laminae of cauline leaves 1/3-1/2 leaf length, unequal, minor lamina rounded and free distally or narrowed and ending on or near costa; laminal cells distinct, eguttulate, unistratose, sometimes bis-tratose juxtacostally in dorsal and ventral laminae, firm-walled, smooth, ± bulging, 15-23 µm long x 10-18 µm wide, largest juxtacostally, smallest marginally. Monoicous; perigonia and perichaetia on short axillary branches, 1-5 per leaf axil, sometimes terminal on elongate axillary branches. Sporophytes 1-5 per leaf axil, caducous; seta 0.5-0.6 mm long; theca emergent, erect, radially symmetric, ±0.3 mm long, estomatose, exothecial cells quadrate to oblong, vertical walls thicker than horizontal walls, collenchy-matous; peristome anomalous, teeth papillose, irregularly divided, filaments reduced or lacking; operculum conic, long-rostrate, 0.5-0.6 mm long, as long as the seta. Spores smooth, 18-27 µm diam. Calyptra mitrate, dark, covering only operculum.

  • Discussion

    Synonyms from outside the area of this study (Pursell, 1987): Conomitrium julianum (DC) Mont., Fissidens julianus (Savi ex DC) Schimp., Octodiceras julianum (Savi ex DC) Lindb., Octodiceras julianum var. ohioense Emig, Schistophyllum julianum (Savi ex DC) Lindb., Skitophyllum julianum (DC) Bach. Pyl.

    Fissidens fontanus is distinguished by a number of gametophytic and sporophytic characters. The leaves vary considerably in size, the unequal vaginant laminae are usually only 1/4-1/3, infrequently 1/2, the leaf length, and the distal end of the minor lamina is more or less rounded and free. In addition, the costa usually ends well below the leaf apex. When present, sporophytes occur in clusters of 1-5 on short perichaetial branches that usually occur in the axils of lower leaves. The sporophytes are caducous, setae are as long as the capsules, and the op-ercula are the longest known in the subgenus. Moreover, the peristome teeth are greatly reduced, often truncate, consisting mainly of only the undivided basal portion but otherwise with very short bifurcations. Sporophytes in Neotropical material were reported recently (Pursell, 1992).

    Schwaegrichen (1842), followed by Müller (1848) erroneously equated Conomitirum julianum with F. debilis. This error was continued by Jennings (1913) and Grout (1943) for the American plants (Pursell, 1987).

  • Distribution

    Mexico (Chiapas, Chihuahua, Durango, México, Morelos, Oaxaca, Puebla, Sonora, Tamaulipas, Tlaxcala, Zacatecas); Central America (Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua); West Indies (Cuba, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Puerto Rico); attached to various substrata in stagnant and flowing water; sea level-2000 m. The species is also found in North America, Europe, northern Africa, and Madeira.

    Villa Clara Cuba South America| Clarendon Jamaica South America| Manchester Jamaica South America| Chiapas Mexico North America| Chihuahua Mexico North America| Durango Mexico North America| Jalisco Mexico North America| México Mexico North America| Morelos Mexico North America| Oaxaca Mexico North America| Puebla Mexico North America| Sonora Mexico North America| Tamaulipas Mexico North America| Tlaxcala Mexico North America| Zacatecas Mexico North America| Jutiapa Guatemala Central America| Quiché Guatemala Central America| Cayo Belize Central America| Francisco Morazán Honduras Central America| Zelaya Nicaragua Central America| Matanzas Cuba South America| Santiago de Cuba Cuba South America| Monte Cristi Dominican Republic South America| Puerto Rico South America|