Taxiphyllum

Scientific name

Taxiphyllum M. Fleisch.

Common names

Java moss, Taiwan moss

Family

Hypnaceae

Similar genera

Fontinalis and Vesicularia

Native distribution

Southeast Asia and (rarely) North America

Species cultivated

(two species plus numerous cultivated unknowns)

Taxiphyllum alternans (Card.) Iwats.

T. barbieri (Cardot & Copp.) Z. Iwats.

Weed status

information not available

Habit

free-floating or attached moss

Brief description

Glossy, delicate, in thin to dense mats, yellowish green or yellowish brown; stems small, simple or irregularly branched; naked or ventralventral:
(adj) of the front of an organ or the side facing or nearest the axis (syn. adaxial) (compare dorsal); upper surface
rhizoids dark brown. Pseudoparaphyllia (protective filaments found at branch bases) large, foliose, lanceolatelanceolate:
(adj) lance-shaped; widest point below the middle, tapering to the apex
, in clusters on stem around branches. Stem and branch leaves similar; symmetric or asymmetric; bladeblade:
(n) (syn. lamina) the flat, expanded part of a leaf, frond, or petal (excluding, e.g., the petiole)
ovate, ovate-lanceolate, or oblong-lanceolate; apexapex:
(n) the point farthest from the point of attachment; the tip (often pointed)
acuminateacuminate:
(adj) tapering gradually to a point and forming more or less concave sides
, frequently twisted; margins serrulateserrulate:
(adj) minutely serrate
, entireentire:
(adj) having a continuous margin that is not toothed or lobed
below; costacosta:
(n) midvein of leaf or pinna or rachis of pinnately compound leaf
double, short, one often slightly longer. Dioicousdioicous:
(adj) having male and female organs on different plants
, rarely fruiting; perigonia (modified leaves around the antheridia) rarely present; perichaetia (leaves surrounding archegoniumarchegonium:
(n) the female reproductive organ in mosses and ferns
) numerous, lanceolatelanceolate:
(adj) lance-shaped; widest point below the middle, tapering to the apex
to ovate-lanceolate, acuminateacuminate:
(adj) tapering gradually to a point and forming more or less concave sides
; seta smooth, long, usually twisted, yellowish brown, becoming red with age. Capsules yellowish brown to reddish brown; operculumoperculum:
(n) a cap-like covering or lid on some flowers or fruits that becomes detached at maturity by abscission
obliquely rostrate; annulus persistentpersistent:
(adj) (of leaves etc,) remaining attached; not being dropped or falling off
, 2 rows of cells; peristomeperistome:
(n) in some mosses and fungi, teeth-like structures surrounding the mouth of the capsule
perfectperfect:
(adj) (of a flower) having both functional male and female reproductive organs (stamens and pistils); bisexual
, endostomeendostome:
(n) the inner portion of the peristome
with 2-3 cilia; enlarged archegoniumarchegonium:
(n) the female reproductive organ in mosses and ferns
cucullate, white to yellow, caducouscaducous:
(adj) falling off easily or at an early stage
; spores globoseglobose:
(adj) spherical or nearly so
to ovoidovoid:
(adj) egg-shaped in three dimensions
, smooth or minutely papillosepapillose:
(adj) bearing papillae
.

Natural habitat

on soil or humus beside streams and rivers, or in bogs or swampy places

Additional comments

Within this genus of 59 accepted species, Taxiphyllum Barbieri is a very popular aquarium moss because it is a rapid grower and easy to maintain. It is often erroneously named Glossadelphus zollingeri (Müll. Hal.) M. Fleisch. or Vesicularia dubyana (Müll. Hal.) Broth and is often found growing in association with Microsorum pteropus (Blume) Copel.

Taxiphyllum is often more delicate in appearance than Fontinalis and Vesicularia. The leaves of Taxiphyllum lack a keelkeel:
(n) a sharp crease or ridge
and a decurrentdecurrent:
(adj) extending downward, beyond the point of insertion
base, but have a short and double costacosta:
(n) midvein of leaf or pinna or rachis of pinnately compound leaf
, often with one branch being longer.

Vesicularia and Taxiphyllum are similar in both gametophytic and sporophytic characteristics, making the two very difficult to distinguish. Vesicularia is often more pinnately branched, while Taxiphylllum is irregularirregular:
(adj) asymmetrical
, but again this feature is variable depending on growing conditions.