Sphagnum cuspidatum
Sphagnum andersonianum
feathery bog-moss, feathery peat-moss, tooth sphagnum
Anderson's sphagnum
leaves triangular-ovate, more than 1.2 mm, usually appressed;
apex acute to apiculate, hyaline cells rarely septate or porose, apical region often fibrillose.
leaves lingulate, 0.9–1.2(–1.4) mm, apex rounded-erose to sometimes slightly apiculate, border moderately strong and broadened at the base (to 0.8 the width);
hyaline cells rhombic, 0–1-septate, usually efibrillose.
mostly unranked to weakly 5-ranked, often conspicuously falcate, leaves greatly elongated at distal end.
not or slightly 5-ranked, lax.
ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate, 1.6–5 mm, falcate toward branch tips, when dry often undulate and recurved, rarely weakly serrulate along the margins in submerged forms, leaves from middle of spreading branches with length to width ratio less than or equal to 1:0.28;
hyaline cells length to width ratio in apical convex surface region 8:1 or more, convex surface with 0–1 small round pores at apex, concave surface with faint round wall thinnings in cell apices and angles; chlorophyllous cells triangular to trapezoidal in transverse section, broadly exposed on the convex surface and exposed slightly on the concave surface.
ovate, 0.8–1.4 mm, distinctly concave, straight, apex dentate and involute;
border entire;
hyaline cells on convex surface with elliptic pores along the commissures, grading from smaller pores near the apex to larger pores at the base, concave surface with large round pores on the proximal portions of the leaf.
dioicous.
dioicous.
29–38 µm; covered with large papillae on both surfaces, appearing pusticulate;
proximal laesura less than 0.5 spore radius.
18–24 µm; coarsely papillose on both surfaces;
proximal laesura less than 0.5 the length of the spore radius.
fascicles with 2 spreading and 2–3 pendent branches.;
branch stems green, but often pinkish at the proximal ends, with cortex enlarged with conspicuous retort cells.
fascicles with 2 spreading and 1–2 pendent branches.
Sphagnum cuspidatum
Sphagnum andersonianum
Distinguishing Sphagnum cuspidatum from S. viride is sometimes difficult, as both occur over a similar geographic range and both grow in wet carpets. Sphagnum cuspidatum has narrower branch leaves and usually a distinct red tinge at the branch bases within the capitulum.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Sporophytes are uncommon in Sphagnum andersonianum. Its distribution is uncertain due to past taxonomic confusion with S. rubellum, S. capillifolium, and other closely related species in sect. Acutifolia. This is one of the most hydrophytic species of the section and is often associated with S. angustifolium, S. fallax, and S. rubellum. It is often not easily distinguished from S. rubellum, with which it may intergrade in a manner similar to that already demonstrated for S. rubellum and S. capillifolium by N. Cronberg (1997, 1998). Phenotypically S. andersonianum is a softer, paler plant with branch leaves that are more ovate and concave on branches that are less 5-ranked. Sphagnum rubellum also has the branch leaves sometimes subsecund while in S. andersonianum they are straight. Ecologically S. rubellum is an open mire species of usually ombrotrophic conditions, where it often forms hummocks, while S. andersonianum occurs in more sheltered sites where there is some mineral influence. Where they occur together, S. rubellum is on the tops of hummocks and S. andersonianum is on the hummock sides and bases. Microscopically S. rubellum has stem leaves with at least some of the hyaline cells twice septate, while in S. andersonianum none are twice septate.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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