ericejohn's Identifications

This small interesting moss was found at the base of a hardwood in a deciduous woods. Photo 1 shows a clump about 4 cm across. The plant is glaucous-green and appears julaceous, but, rather, its appearance is due to tightly imbricate leaves. Dried stems as shown are about 0.4 mm in diameter. Stems are covered in dense tomentum and are pinnate (2). Leaves are deltoid-ovate, about 0.8 mm and are concave, piliferous and long decurrent. (2).Laminal cells are rhomboid throughout and about 20 um (4, 7).Cells are papillose with a single large papillum branched at the tip (5). The latter photo was taken of a leaf folded over. The leaf margin is papillose-ciliate; cilia are more expressed lower on the leaf, papillose more towards the tip (4). The piliferous tip is shown in 6. Basal cells are largely rectangular (7) alar cells quadrate to short-rectangular. I have not seen capsules on any of my collections.

Habitat: Rocks beside Coal Hollow Tunnel

Description: when dry leaves are curled, ~60 pairs, margin crenulate to serrulate but irregularly serrate vitally, elimbate, costa ending 2-3 cells before apex to per current, cells irregularly quadrate to hexagonal, marginal lighter band.

I want to call this Fissidens cristatus based on Crums key, leaves irregularly serrate, a few rows of pale cells on the border, leaf cells rounded and not hexagonal. Found on the base of a white cedar.