Sphagnum capillifolium
Sphagnum alaskense
common red peat-moss, small red peat moss, sphagnum
green to red;
superficial cortical cells aporose Stem leaves lingulate-triangular, 1.2–1.6(–1.8) mm, apex ± involute;
border entire and broadened to about 0.25 the width of the base;
hyaline cells S-shaped, 0–1-septate, usually fibrillose in distal portion of leaf.
leaves to 1.7 × 1.2 mm; rarely hemiisophyllous;
hyaline cells nonseptate to occasionally septate, comb-lamellae absent.
not 5-ranked, terete.
long and tapering.
ovate-lanceolate, 1–1.4 mm, imbricate to moderately spreading, concave, straight, strongly involute near apex;
hyaline cells on convex surface with elliptic pores along commissures, concave surface with large round pores away from commissures in proximal portions of leaf.
broadly ovate, to 3 × 2.3 mm;
hyaline cells on proximal half of convex surface with elliptical pores along the commissures, often with ridges running parallel to long leaf axis on hyaline cell surface overlying chlorophyllous cells; chlorophyllous cells elliptical and just enclosed on both surfaces in transverse section;
end walls not thickened.
dioicous.
dioicous.
not seen.
20–28 µm; finely papillose on both surfaces, with distinct raised Y-shaped sculpture on distal surface;
proximal laesura 0.5 spore radius or more.
unknown.
fascicles with 2 spreading and 1–2 pendent branches.
fascicles with 2 spreading and 2 pendent branches.;
branch stems with hyaline cells non-ornamented, no or weak funnel-like projections on the interior end walls, often with large round pores on the superficial wall.
Sphagnum capillifolium
Sphagnum alaskense
Sporophytes are fairly common in Sphagnum capillifolium. This species is most common and abundant in ombrotrophic heath vegetation associated with S. angustifolium, S. fallax, S. fuscum, S. magellanicum, S. rubellum, Polytrichum commune, and P. juniperinum. It can be distinguished from most other red species of sect. Acutifolia with which it co-occurs by its lack of 5-ranking in the branches. Sphagnum subtile is a forest and non-hummock forming species that has a distinctly shorter and more triangular-lingulate stem leaf. The stem leaf border on S. subtile is also more strongly bordered. Sphagnum tenerum, which geographically overlaps S. capillifolium only very minimally, has much more turgid branches and a generally more robust look. The stem leaf of S. tenerum is triangular-lingulate as compared to the lingulate- triangular stem leaf of S. capillifolium. See also discussion under 84. S. subnitens and 87. S. tenerum.
The names Sphagnum acutifolium Schrader and S. nemoreum Scopoli (doubtful name) have also been used for this taxon.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Sphagnum alaskense most resembles S. magellanicum and S. centrale in its chorophyll cell cross section. The cross section characteristic is most similar to that of S. centrale but S. alaskense lacks thickened walls. Sphagnum alaskense also apparently does not have any range overlap with S. centrale, the latter being more of a boreal forest species. Sphagnum alaskense occurs in more open and less mineral rich sites near the coast. Sphagnum magellanicum has more well-enclosed chlorophyll cells and usually has some purplish coloration, whereas S. alaskense often has a quite distinctive pinkish brown color which, along with its often large flattened capitula, can give it a distinctive look in the field.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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