Fissidens taylorii var. epiphytus (Allison) I.G.Stone & J.E.Beever

Leaves in 15–25 pairs; (0.5–)0.7–1.0 × 0.18–0.26 mm; cells of apical and dorsal laminae (8–)10.5–15(–18) × (7–)7.5–10.5(–12) µm. Costa percurrent to excurrent.

Perichaetia terminal on short lateral shoots in axils of lower leaves. Perigonia numerous, bud-like, axillary near shoot base and well up the stem. Peristome bryoides-type; teeth with adaxial trabeculae below the bifurcation shallow and scarcely ornamented, c. 45 mm wide at base. Calyptra not seen. Spores 25–36 µm.

Stone & Beever 1996, fig. 5, j–m; Beever et al. 2002, p. 64, figs 1–5; Stone & Catcheside 2012.

Fissidens brevifolius var. floribundus Hook.f. & Wilson from Tasmania may be an earlier name, but the type specimen has not been located.

Fissidens taylorii var. epiphytus differs from the other varieties of the species in its larger plants and more numerous axillary perigonia.

The one N.Z. collection (the type) was made from soil over rock, probably at an elevation of less than 200 m.

The variety is similarly poorly known from Australia, with one record from Victoria and one from Tasmania. It was not ranked in the latest application of the N.Z. Threat Classification System to bryophytes (Glenny et al. 2011), but a ranking of Data Deficient is certainly warranted.