Species description:
Genus name denoting fountains; the habitat of all species is aquatic. Species name meaning against fire, reflecting the former use of the moss as a caulking between the chimney and the walls around the chimney.

Reproduction:
Sporophytes occasional, immersed, maturing in spring to autumn. Also disseminated through fragmentation of the leafy plants.

Distinguishing characteristics:
The aquatic habitat, the distinctly 3-ranked, keeled, straight leaves and the large size are usually enough to separate this species.

Habit:
Very long (up to 1 m) reclining dark green plants in which the leaves tend to be strongly three-ranked. Predominantly of low elevations but extending to the subalpine.

Similar Species:
F. howellii is extremely similar to F. antipyretica but the leaves tend to be very narrow, tapering gradually to the apex. In F. antipyretica, the leaves are broadly boat-shaped and curve (on the keel) to the insertion. F. neomexicana has slender shoots with rigid overlap­ping leaves. Aquatic forms of Calliergonella cuspidata do not have keeled leaves and alar cells are clearly defined.

If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.

Illustration Source:  Some Common Mosses of BC

Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Fontinalis patula