Fissidens elmeri (auct. non Broth.) Herz. & Nog., J. Hattori Bot. Lab. 14: 58. 1955.

Plants small, yellowish green. Leafy stems 1.5–2.7 mm long, 1.5–1.8 mm wide, usually simple, sometimes with 1–2 branches; axillary hyaline nodules indistinctly differentiated, composed of a row of oblong, hyaline cells; central strand not differentiated. Leaves in 3–8 pairs, more or less densely arranged, upper leaves oblong-lanceolate, 1.1–1.2 mm × 0.2–0.3 mm, narrowly acute at apex; base of the dorsal laminae wedge-shaped; costa stout, shortly excurrent, usually yellowish; margins serrulate throughout except the vaginant laminae being entire; vaginant laminae mostly 1/2 the leaf length, almost equal; laminal cells thin-walled, well demarcated, slightly mammillose, quadrate to hexagonal, 9–12 µm long on apical laminae, up to 21 µm long at the base of vaginant laminae; limbidia found on vaginant laminae of most leaves except those of the extreme base, changing from one row of elongate, hyaline cells on the upper half of the vaginant laminae, to 2–4 rows on the lower half. Dioicous. Antheridia terminal on the main and lateral stems. Perichaetial leaves similar to stem leaves, but slightly longer. Setae 2.5–3.2 mm long, smooth; capsules shortly cylindrical, erect, symmetrical; urns ca. 0.6 mm long, 3.5 mm wide; peristome teeth ca. 0.21 mm long, 35 µm wide at base. Calyptrae campanulate, ca. 0.42 mm long, almost smooth. Spores 7–10 µm in diameter, smooth.

Type. China: Taiwan, Karobetsu, G. H. Schwabe 66 (holotype NICH).

Chinese specimens examined: GUANGDONG: Guang-zhou City, L. Sun & J.-L. Zhang 5 (SYS); Dong-guan Co., Hueck s.n. (as Fissidens perexiguus, JE). TAIWAN: Ping-tung Co., S.-H. Lin 10778 (NICH, TUNG); Tai-bei Co., Schwabe s.n. (JE, as Fissidens elmeri), S.-H. Lin 8574 (NICH, TUNG).

Habitat: mostly on soil, rarely on cliffs; Distribution: China, Japan, and New Guinea.

Illustrations: Pl. 83, figs. 14–20.