Fissidens cyathaeicola Brugg.

Bruggeman-Nannenga, Maria Alida, 2022, On the peristomes of the corticolous African species of Fissidens Hedw. (Fissidentaceae, Bryophyta), Cryptogamie, Bryologie 20 (2), pp. 9-36 : 14

Fissidens cyathaeicola Brugg. -Nann.

( Fig. 5 )

This relatively large species, 6.0 × 0.5 mm, is characterized by ½ limbate vaginant laminae, pluripapillose laminal cells and erect, narrow, undivided or irregularly divided peristomes with papillose filaments. In mats or scattered on bark of tree ferns.

Peristome

Slightly curved inwards when wet, stiff, undivided or irregularly divided.Teeth with short, up to 5 cells high, undivided part and a papillose distal part150 µm long, tooth base 30-32.5 µm wide, rudimentary second filament ( Fig. 5C ) occasionally present.

Ornamentation

OPL short, ±5 cells tall, undivided basal part with distinct, smooth trabeculae and ±smooth lamellae; the first cell above the bifurcation with distinct trabeculae and vertical walls and a sparse lamellar ornamentation; more distal cells densely and lowly papillose; IPL papillose throughout the teeth, IPL cells thicker than the thin, transparent OPL cells ( Fig. 5C ); filaments papillose.

Sporophyte

Seta 1.2-1.5 mm long, smooth; capsule 0.5 × 0.2-0.3 mm with exothecial cell columns 26-32, the cells thin-walled, oblong; operculum ± 0.2 mm long; spores 9.0-13.5 µm diam., papillose.

Description and illustration

Bruggeman-Nannenga & Arts (2010: fig. 21).

Figures

FIG. 5. — Fissidens cyathaeicola Brugg.-Nann. A, OPL of two teeth. The left tooth with rudimentary filament on the right; B, IPL of three teeth, all with rudimentary second filament; C, IPL of basal part of tooth with rudimentary filament (RF). Note the transparent OPL that is wider and thinner than the IPL; D, mid part of tooth in side view, on the left IPL of second tooth; E, capsule; F, OPL of distal filament. All from holotype, La Réunion, Forêt de Bélouve, Bruggeman-Nannenga 11044, L, REU. Scale bars: A-D, F, 20 µm; E, 0.5 mm.