FISSIDENS
HYALINUS Wils. & Hook.
Filmy
Fissidens
FAMILY: Fissidentaceae.
HABIT: Ephemeral, minute (1.5-3.0 mm), delicate,
pale green or hyaline plants growing as scattered or gregarious individuals.
SIMILAR
SPECIES: No other Fissidens can
be confused with F. hyalinus.
TOTAL
RANGE: PA, LA, OH; also Mex., n. South America, Japan.
STATE
RANGE: Three Ohio records have been
reported for this rare species. The
type collection was reported to have been collected in the vicinity of Cincinnati. However, the actual collecting site, along
Bank Lick creek, is in northern Kentucky.
The second collection is from Lake County, and was made in the late
1800s. The most recent record (1989)
is from Hocking County.
STATE
STATUS: 1990-1991: Added, 1992 to
present: Endangered.
HABITAT: Cool, moist sheltered forest ravines on clay
soil.
HAZARDS: Drying of the habitat; removal of forest
canopy shading.
RECOVERY
POTENTIAL: Unknown.
INVENTORY
GUIDELINES: Collect only minute samples
and only after spore release.
COMMENTS: Fissidens hyalinus is an extremely
rare (or rarely collected) species. It
has been collected in only two counties in Pennsylvania, and a single
collection has been reported from Louisiana.
Two collections exist from Kentucky (including the type collection), and
two from Ohio. It appears to be quite
ephemeral, lasting only a few weeks at most.
It appears to mature in early to mid September.
SELECTED REFERENCES:
Crum, H.A.
and L.E. Anderson. 1981. Mosses of Eastern North America. Two vols.
Columbia University Press.
Reese,
W.D. 1983. Mosses of the Gulf South.
Louisiana State University Press.
Division of Natural Areas and Preserves
Ohio Department of Natural Resources
Created: 3/1990
Jerry A. Snider
Database Code:
SPPA.420