Sphagnum capillifolium
Sphagnum perichaetiale
common red peat-moss, small red peat moss, sphagnum
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 1.1 × 0.7 mm, commonly hemiisophyllous;
hyaline cells non-ornamented, mostly 1–2-septate.
not 5-ranked, terete.
short and blunt at distal end, leaves loosely spreading.
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 2.2 × 1.1 mm; ovate, hyaline cells non-ornamented, on proximal half of convex surface with small ringed pores or pseudopores in groups of three where the corners join and pseudopores along the commissures; chlorophyllous cells narrowly rectangular, lenticular to narrowly trapezoidal in transverse section; exposed equally on both surfaces or more broadly on concave surface;
end walls not thickened.
dioicous.
dioicous.
with numerous pseudostomata.
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.
25–39 µm;
surface smooth to irregularly and finely papillose;
indistinct Y-mark on distal surface;
proximal laesura more than 0.6 spore radius.
fascicles with 2 spreading and 1–2 pendent branches.
fascicles with 2 spreading and 1–2 pendent branches.;
branch stems with hyaline cells non-ornamented, no or weak funnel-like projection of end walls of cortical cells, cortical cells with one large pore per cell on superficial wall.
Sphagnum capillifolium
Sphagnum perichaetiale
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 compact growth form in thin but dense mats and occurrence in often dessication-prone sites distinguishes Sphagnum perichaetiale from any other species of sect. Sphagnum. The often quite stiffly spreading branch leaves give it a strong resemblance to S. compactum, but the latter’s small triangular stem leaves will readily distinguish that species. The branch leaf hyaline cells of S. perichaetiale have only a few pores on their convex surface, and they are typically small, thickened, and grouped in 3s where the cell corners meet. Similar species in sect. Sphagnum have more pores along the commissures, and they are more elliptical and not thickened. The often hemiisophyllous stem leaves are also diagnostic of S. perichaetiale within the section.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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