Sphagnum capillifolium
Sphagnum orientale
common red peat-moss, small red peat moss, sphagnum
oriental 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-lingulate to lingulate; 0.7–0.8 mm;
apex rounded and often erose, hyaline cells nonseptate or sometimes 1-septate, numerous small round pores more than 2 µm along the commissures and scattered across the cell on the convex surface, on the concave surface fewer similar-sized pores along the commissures.
not 5-ranked, terete.
short and slightly curved Branch fascicles with 2 spreading and 2 pendent branches.
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, 1.1–1.3 mm, distinctly curved to secund;
hyaline cells covered with numerous (more than 30 per cell) tiny pores (ca. 1 µm) on convex surface along the commissures and across the cell surface, sometimes forming several linear rows of free pores, on concave surface with fewer pores round to oval and slightly larger (more than 2 µm) restricted to commissures.
dioicous.
probably 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.
not seen.
fascicles with 2 spreading and 1–2 pendent branches.
Sphagnum capillifolium
Sphagnum orientale
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.)
The ecology of Sphagnum orientale is poorly known, due in part to taxonomic confusion with S. perfoliatum and in part to its very northern distribution. Like other species of sect. Subsecunda, however, it is clearly minerotrophic, probably weakly so. Associated vascular plants include Carex aquatilis Wahlenberg, C. bigelowii Torrey, C. fuliginosa Schkuhr, C. rotundata Wahlenberg, Eriophorum vaginatum Linnaeus, Vaccinium oxycoccus Linnaeus, and Betula glandulosa Michaux. Associated bryophytes include Sphagnum aongstroemii, S. fimbriatum subsp. concinnum, S. jensenii, S. obtusum, S. rubellum, S. talbotianum, S. squarrosum, and Cinclidium subrotundatum. Sporophytes are rare. Similar species with which it overlaps in range are S. subsecundum, S. perfoliatum and S. inexspectatum. Field separation from S. subsecundum and S. inexspectatum is difficult but the tiny branch leaf pores will separate it microsopically. Sphagnum perfoliatum is much larger and indeed looks much like some forms of S. lescurii or S.auriculatum, even to having curved, horn-like branches. Sphagnum perfoliatum is also typically quite richly colored and glossy in appearance.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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