17. Fissidens ganguleei Nork. in Gangulee, Mosses of Eastern India and Adjacent Regions: a monograph. 2:527. 1971.
Plants small, green. Leafy stems simple, 2.5–4.0 mm long, 1.5–2.2 mm wide; axillary hyaline nodules not distinct; central strand slightly differentiated. Leaves in 3–5 pairs, lower leaves smaller, loosely arranged; upper leaves much larger, oblong-lanceolate, 0.6–1.0 mm × 0.2–0.3 mm, acute at apex; base of dorsal laminae wedge-shaped; vaginant laminae 1/2 –3/5 the leaf length, unequal, upper part open to costa; margins serrulate; costa strong, percurrent, often showing a bend where it leaves the upper vaginant laminae, thus dividing the leaf into two unequal parts; cells of apical and dorsal laminae quadrate to irregularly hexagonal, 7–15 µm long, moderately thick-walled, smooth; cells of vaginant laminae similar to those of apical and dorsal laminae. Female inflorescences terminal on main stems. Perichaetial leaves longer than stem leaves, vaginant laminae ca. 1/3 of the perichaetial leaf length. Setae ca. 8 mm long, smooth; opercula long rostrate, ca. 0.6 mm long.
Type. India: Darjeeling, Tongloo, Kurz 2302.
Chinese specimens examined: SICHUAN: Omei Co., Allen 6620 (MO). YUNNAN: Gong-shan Co., M.-Z. Wang 9561d (PE, SYS); Song-ming Co., Redfearn 2018 (MO); Yang-bi Co., Redfearn et al. 641 (MO).
Habitat: on tree bases in evergreen forests; Distribution: China, Japan, Nepal, and India.
This species is similar to Fissidens pellucidus, but it differs in having a bent costa that divides the leaves into two unequal parts, asymmetric vaginant laminae that are free from the apical laminae, and thin-walled cells.
Illustrations: Iwatsuki and Suzuki 1982 (Pl. XXVII, figs. 1–24).