Sphagnum contortum |
Sphagnum wilfii |
|
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contorted sphagnum, twisted peat-moss |
wilf's sphagnum |
|
Habit | Plants moderate to small-sized, weak-stemmed to spawling; green, yellow-green to golden brown; capitulum usually large and flat with curved branches; green, yellow-green, or golden brown. | Plants densely tufted, capitulum ± flat-topped; typically red; forms small tufts and hummocks in shaded and open sites. |
Stem(s) | leaves triangular-lingulate to lingulate, 0.7–1.4 mm; apex rounded-obtuse and weakly denticulate; hyaline cells nonseptate, mostly efibrillose, and, if porose, with more pores per cell on the concave surface (3–6) than on the convex surface (0–2). |
leaves 1.2 mm or more, broadly triangular to triangular-lingulate, 1.2 or more, apex acute, border broad at base (more than 0.25 width); hyaline cells mostly efibrillose, 1–2-septate. |
Branches | somewhat curved, leaves spreading. |
uncrowded, 5-ranked. |
Branch leaves | ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 1.2–2 mm; subsecund; hyaline cells with numerous tiny pores in a continuous line along the commissures on the convex surface, no or scattered pores on the concave surface. |
ovate-lanceolate, 0.7 mm or more, straight, concave, loosely involute from apex to middle or near base; concave surface with few (2–4) small, rounded, or elliptic pores, especially in cell angles, concave surface aporose or with 1–2 pores at cell ends. |
Sexual condition | dioicous. |
unknown. |
Capsule | exserted, with scattered pseudo-stomata. |
|
Spores | 22–28 µm; papillose on both surfaces; proximal laesurae more than 0.5 spore radius. |
unknown. |
Branch | fascicles with 2–3 spreading and 2–3(4) pendent branches. |
fascicles with 2 spreading and 1 pendent branch. |
Sphagnum contortum |
Sphagnum wilfii |
|
Habitat | Very minerotrophic, sometimes found in slightly basic mires, intolerant of shade | Blanket mires, especially with Pinus contorta |
Elevation | low to moderate elevations | low to moderate elevations |
Distribution |
AK; CA; CO; CT; ID; IL; IN; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; NC; NH; NJ; NY; OH; OR; PA; RI; VT; WA; WI; WV; AB; BC; NF; NS; ON; QC; Eurasia |
AK; BC |
Discussion | Sporophytes are rare in Sphagnum contortum. This species is often associated with S. warnstorfii, S. centrale, Campylium stellatum, and Calliergonella cuspidata. The relatively small size, curved capitulum branches, and loosely spreading, subsecund branch leaves separate this species along with S. subsecundum. See also discussion under 61. S. platyphyllum. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
The type locality of Sphagnum wilfii in the Queen Charlotte Islands of British Columbia is a site on a pygmy pine slope near the coast. This species has been collected only infrequently but is fairly common in southeastern Alaska. The combination of red pigment, the rather large and triangular to triangular-lingulate stem leaves and the quinquefarious, loosely spreading branch leaves should identify it where it occurs. See also discussion under 68. S. bartlettianum. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 27, p. 80. | FNA vol. 27, p. 101. |
Parent taxa | ||
Sibling taxa | ||
Name authority | Schultz: Prodr. Fl. Starg. Suppl., 64. (1819) | H. A. Crum: in N. L. Britton et al., N. Amer. Fl., ser. 2, 11: 90, fig. 57. (1984) |
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