Fissidens Adiantoides Moss
Fissidens adiantoides, Hedw.Habit and habitat.-In bright or dark-green mats on moist shady ground, wet rocks and roots of trees. Varying according to locality.
Name.-The specific name is compounded of; maidenhair, and the suffix; like, referring to the habit the leaves of the maidenhair have on shedding water; being compounded of a, without, and; wet.
Plant (garnetophyte).-Stems 1 to 5 inches long ; branches growing from the apex or base of the stern, with root-like fibres at their base.
Leaves.-Numerous, close, overlapping like shingles, linearoblong, clasping at the base; apex taper-pointed and tipped with a short point continuous with the vein, the wing long and continuous ; margins trannsparent, irregularly and minutely serrate.
Habit of flowering.-Male and female flowers on different parts of the same plants (autoicous); male flower-clusters small. axillary bud-like.
Veil (calyptra).-Split on one side.
Spore-case.-Oval, red-brown, much constricted under the orifice when empty.
Pedice.-Red, 1/2 to 1 inch long, appearing as if attached to the side of the stem.
Lid (operculum).-Conical, with a. long beak.
Teeth (peristome).-Red, sixteen, each cleft into two slender
segments with numerous cross-bars; inclined when dry.
Annulus.-One or two rows of large cells.
Spores.-Mature in December.
Distribution.-Universal.