Sphagnum compactum |
Sphagnum imbricatum |
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compact peat-moss, low sphagnum |
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Habit | Plants moderate to large-sized, dense and compact, pale green, brownish white, golden brown to variegated golden brown, can be reddish in rocky seep habitats; forms small, tufted compact cushions. | Plants moderate-sized, weak-stemmed, lax; yellowish to golden brown; forming loose carpets; branches loosely imbricate. |
Stem(s) | leaves small, 0.3–0.7 mm, triangular-lingulate with broad rounded apex, Branches short, crowded, and unranked. |
leaves short-rectangular, 0.8–1.1 mm, hyaline cells mostly non-septate and absent comb-fibrils. |
Branch leaves | large, 1.4–3 mm, semi-squarrose to squarrose, ovate and abruptly involute in distal portion, appearing cucullate with toothed apex, usually no more than 6 teeth; hyaline cells with 5 or more ringed, round to elliptical pores on convex surface, numerous pseudopores on concave surface with 3-ringed corner pores occurring in 3s at adjacent cell angles; chlorophyllous cells elliptic in transverse section, entirely included by hyaline cells, slightly nearer to convex surface. |
ovate to ovate-elliptic, 1.4–1.8 mm; hyaline cells on convex surface with numerous pores along the commissures; comb-lamellae obvious only in proximal 1/2 of leaf; chlorophyllous cells broadly triangular in transverse section and well-enclosed on the convex surface. |
Sexual condition | monoicous. |
dioecious. |
Capsule | with abundant pseudostomata. |
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Spores | 25–35 µm; finely papillose on proximal surface, coarsely papillose on distal surface with raised Y-mark sculpture; proximal laesura short, 0.3–0.5 spore radius. |
(22) 24–27(–28) µm, surface granulate. |
Branch | fascicles 4–6 branches per fascicle, 2–3 spreading and 2–3 pendent, but plants frequently unbranched in young clones. |
fascicles with 2 spreading and 1–2 hanging branches.; branch stems with hyaline cells non-ornamented, no or weak funnel-like projections on the end walls of cortical cells, cortical cell walls usually with large round pores. |
Sphagnum compactum |
Sphagnum imbricatum |
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Phenology | Capsules fairly common, mature summer. | |
Habitat | Ombrotrophic to weakly minerotrophic, commonly growing on poorly drained sand, siliceous rocks, bare peat | Ecology poorly known |
Elevation | low to high elevations | moderate elevations |
Distribution |
AK; AR; CA; CT; FL; GA; IA; IL; IN; KY; LA; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; MO; MS; MT; NC; NH; NJ; NY; OH; OR; PA; SC; TN; VA; VT; WA; WI; WV; AB; BC; MB; NB; NF; NS; NT; ON; PE; QC; SK; YT; South America; Greenland; Eurasia; Pacific Islands (New Zealand)
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AK |
Discussion | Sphagnum compactum is usually easily recognized by its combination of golden brown color and involute, cucullate branch leaves. Sphagnum strictum is paler and usually strongly squarrose. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
K. I. Flatberg (1984) considered Sphagnum imbricatum to be East Asian in distribution but a recent collection in Selawik National Wildlife Refuge places it in the North American flora. It will undoubtedly be found elsewhere. Sphagnum imbricatum is closest in morphological detail to S. steerei, but the latter is a very dark colored and densely branched species whereas S. imbricatum is quite light in color and not particularly dense. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 27, p. 56. | FNA vol. 27, p. 52. |
Parent taxa | Sphagnaceae > Sphagnum > sect. Rigida | Sphagnaceae > Sphagnum > sect. Sphagnum |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | S. compactum var. imbricatum, S. rigidum | |
Name authority | Lamarck & de Candolle: Fl. Franç. ed. 3, 2: 443. (1805) | Russow: Beitr. Torfm., 99. (1865) |
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