Sphagnum capillifolium
Sphagnum brevifolium
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 triangular to lingulate-triangular, apex apiculate, acute and sometimes slightly obtuse, spreading or sometimes appressed;
hyaline cells nonseptate and often fibrillose at leaf apex.
not 5-ranked, terete.
straight to distinctly curved, leaves unranked to 5-ranked, leaves not greatly elongate at branch distal end.
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.
ovate to ovate-lanceolate, greater than 1.2 mm, often subsecund, slightly undulate and slightly recurved when dry;
margin entire;
hyaline cells on convex surface with 1 pore per cell in apical end, on concave surface with round wall thinnings in the cell ends and angles; chlorophyllous cells equilateral to isosceles-triangular, well-enclosed on the concave surface.
dioicous.
dioicous.
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.
not seen.
fascicles with 2 spreading and 1–2 pendent branches.
fascicles with 2 spreading and 1–2 pendent branches.;
branch stems with cortex enlarged with conspicuous retort cells, sometimes reddish at proximal end.
Sphagnum capillifolium
Sphagnum brevifolium
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.)
Details of the distribution of Sphagnum brevifolium are unclear because of confusion with S. fallax and S. isoviitae. This seems to be a species of poor to medium fens, where it occurs in depressions and floating mats; it does not appear to form extensive fast-growing mats as do S. fallax, S. isoviitae, and S. pacificum. Sphagnum brevifolium is one of five species in the S. recurvum complex with apiculate stem leaves. On the Pacific coast it seemingly co-occurs only with S. pacificum, from which it differs in having branch leaves less sharply recurved and more strongly 5-ranked. In eastern North America it is quite uncommon but can occur with both S. fallax and S. isoviitae of S. recurvum, in the broad sense. Sphagnum fallax has more sharply recurved branch leaves. Sphagnum splendens has a distinct shiny look. The much more common S. isoviitae has a distinctly flatter capitulum, narrower branch leaves and wider stem leaves. In fact, the relatively broad branch leaves of S. brevifolium sometimes can give it the appearance of a slender S. pulchrum, but the latter has much more strongly 5-ranked branch leaves and lacks paired pendent branch buds. See also discussion under 22. S. angustifolium.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
BC
IL Wildflowers
MI Flora
MN Wildflowers
PNW Herbaria
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
MD Biodiversity
