Fissidens shinii Sak., J. Jap. Bot. 27: 279. 1952. Fissidens yamamotoi Sak., Bot. Mag. (Tokyo) 56: 218. 1942.

Plants small, light green to green. Fertile and sterile plants often differentiated. Sterile leafy stems 1.4–2.1 mm long, 0.7–0.9 mm wide, with 5–9 pairs of leaves. Fertile leafy stems 1.8–2.4 mm long, 0.8–1.1 mm wide, with ca. 3 pairs of leaves. Stems simple; central strand lacking; axillary hyaline nodules not differentiated. Sterile stem leaves oblong-lingulate to oblong-lanceolate, 0.14–0.60 mm × 0.07–0.10 mm, rounded acute to obtuse at apex. Fertile stem leaves lanceolate, 0.6–0.7 mm long, ca. 0.2 mm wide, obtuse to acute at apex; base of dorsal laminae of both sterile and fertile stem leaves wedge-shaped; costa ending a few cells below leaf apex; margins serrulate; vaginant laminae 1/2 – 3/5 the leaf length; limbidia very weak, usually found only on vaginant laminae of perichaetial and perigonal leaves; cells of apical and dorsal laminae quadrate to hexagonal, 7–14 µm long, thin-walled, smooth; cells of vaginant laminae similar to those of apical and dorsal laminae, larger and longer toward the base. Rhizautoicous. Male inflorescences bud-like, at base of female stems, rarely terminal on lateral short branches. Perichaetial and perigonal leaves differentiated, much longer than other leaves. Archegonia 142–185 µm long. Setae terminal, 2.5–3.1 mm long; capsules erect, symmetrical, with urns 0.4–0.5 mm long; opercula long conic-rostrate, 0.2–0.3 mm long; exothecial cells quadrate to short oblong, rather thin-walled; peristome teeth ca. 0.1 mm long, ca. 35 µm wide at base. Spores 11–14 µm in diameter.

Type. China: Guizhou (Kouy-Tcheou), 19 XI 1904, Esquirol 281 (isotypes H-BR, S).

Chinese specimens examined: JIANGSU: Nan-jing City, Y.-Y. Tu 1003 (HKAS, NICH). TAIWAN: Tai-bei Co., Iwatsuki & Sharp 2060 (NICH). XIZANG: Mo-tuo Co., Y.-G. Su 2219 (HKAS, NICH). YUNNAN: W.-X. Xu 6324 (HYUB, SYS); Yang-bi Co., Redfearn & Y.-G. Su 920 (MO).

Habitat: on rocks; Distribution: China and Japan.

Fissidens bryoides var. esquirolii was originally described from Kouy-Tcheou (Guizhou) province, southwestern China. This variety was first recorded under the name F. yamamotoi Sak. from Shi-koku, southern Japan. The type locality of F. yamamotoi is a seeping cliff, which is composed of very wet, soft rocks, where this variety is still growing abundantly. We think that this taxon has evolved in wet habitats in the warmer areas, and is closely related to var. ramosissimus.

Illustrations: Pl. 72, figs. 1–21.