Fissidens anisophyllus
Common name
Moss
Family
Fissidentaceae
Flora category
Non-vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Mosses
NVS code
The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.
FISANI
Current conservation status
- Conservation status of New Zealand mosses, 2014 (PDF, 583.87 kB)
The conservation status of 109 New Zealand moss taxa was assessed using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS). Four taxa and one undescribed entity that were not included in previous assessments have been added to the list. The conservation status of only two taxa has changed in this assessment. A full list is presented, along with a statistical summary and brief notes on the changes. This list replaces all previous NZTCS lists for mosses. Authors: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Allan J. Fife, Jessica E. Beever, Patrick J. Brownsey and Rodney A. Hitchmough.
- Conservation status of New Zealand hornworts and liverworts, 2014 (PDF, 695.44 kB)
The conservation status of the New Zealand hornwort and liverwort flora is reassessed using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS). A full list is presented, along with a statistical summary and brief notes on the most important changes. This list replaces all previous NZTCS lists for New Zealand hornworts and liverworts which previously had been part of a generic bryophyte conservation status assessment that included mosses. Authors: Peter J. de Lange, David Glenny, John Braggins, Matt Renner, Matt von Konrat, John Engel, Catherine Reeb and Jeremy Rolfe.
Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2009 | Data Deficient | Qualifiers: RR
Distribution
Endemic. New Zealand: North Island (Wairarapa and Palmerston North)
Habitat
Terricolous. Lowland. On roadside clay banks and also within an urban park
Detailed description
Plants 2-6 mm long, loosely gregarious. Stems occasionally branched. Leaves in 4-10 pairs, not overlapping in mid-stem, patent, plane when moist, lightly crisped when dry, oblong-lanceolate, 0.8-1.4 x 0.20-0.25 mm; the apex acute; laminae unistratose; vaginant lamina up to 2/3 of the leaf length, half-open to closed; dorsal lamina tapered, failing before the leaf base; margins entire, serrulate at the apex; marginal cells distinct in 1-2 rows, prosenchymatous, forming a unistratose border which is variably developed but usually present throughout the vaginant lamina and part of the dorsal and apical laminae; cells of the apical and dorsal laminae quadrate to hexagonal, smooth, not bulging, (4.5-)6.0-10.5(-15.0) x (4.5-)6.5-10.5(-12.0) µm. Costa percurrent or failing a few cells below the apex. Dioicous. Perigonia terminal on the main stem or axillary shots; male and female plants similar size. Perichaetia terminal; perichaetial leaves longer than the vegetative leaves. Seta 1.5-2.0 mm; capsules erect and symmetric, 0.3-5.0 mm; operculum oblique-rostrate. Calyptra smooth, cucullate. Spores 10-14 µm.
Similar taxa
Very close to Fissidens leptocladus from which it differs by its smaller size, less well-developed borders and its less bulging and thinner-walled (and so clearer) leaf lamina cells (Beever et al 2002).
Fruiting
Fruiting material may be found throughout the year
Threats
Fissidens anisophyllus is very poorly known and it may possibly be better placed within the highly variable F. leptocladus (see comments by Beever et al. 2002). Currently it is known from very few collections. Further specimens would help resolve both its taxonomic and conservation status.
Substrate
Terricolous.
Etymology
fissidens: From the Latin fissio ‘fission’ and dens ‘tooth, prong’ meaning split tooth and referring to shape of the lamina.
Attribution
Fact Sheet Prepared for NZPCN by: P.J. de Lange 12 October 2011. Description from Beever et al (2002).
References and further reading
Beever, J. Malcolm, B.; Malcolm, N. 2002: The moss genus Fissidens in New Zealand – an illustrated key. Nelson, Micro-Optics Press.
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Fissidens anisophyllus Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/fissidens-anisophyllus/ (Date website was queried)