Appalachian Fissidens Moss (Fissidens appalachensis)
Description
Plants to 13 - 2-4 mm. Stem unbranched and branched; axillary hyaline nodules weak or absent; central strand weak. Leaves as many as 22 pairs, ligulate to oblong-lanceolate, obtuse-mucronate to acute, to 4 - 0.3-0.5 mm; dorsal lamina narrowed proximally, ending at insertion or slightly before; vaginant laminae 1/2-2/3 leaf length, equal in proximal leaves, unequal in distal leaves, minor lamina ending between margin and costa or rounded and ending on or near costa; margin entire but sometimes serrulate distally, limbate on all laminae, limbidium confluent at apex or ending a few cells before, limbidial cells 2- to 5-stratose; costa percurrent or ending in mucro, bryoides-type; laminal cells 1- to irregularly 2-stratose, smooth, slightly bulging, firm-walled, irregularly hexagonal, many somewhat elongate, 10-16 -m, juxtacostal and basal cells of vaginant laminae somewhat larger, quadrate to oblong. Sexual condition rhizauto-icous or synoicous; perigonia and perichaetia on elongate stems. Sporophytes 1-2 per perichaetium. Seta 4-4.5 mm. Capsule theca exserted, erect, radially symmetric to slightly inclined, bilaterally symmetric, 0.6-0.85 mm; peristome bryoides-type; operculum 0.4 mm. Calyptra not seen. Spores 14-25 -m.
Taxonomic tree
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Domain: Eukarya
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Kingdom: Plantae
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Phylum: Bryophyta
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Class: Bryopsida
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Order: Fissidentales
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Family: Fissidentaceae
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Genus: Fissidens
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