Sphagnum cuspidatum
Sphagnum perichaetiale
feathery bog-moss, feathery peat-moss, tooth sphagnum
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 to 1.1 × 0.7 mm, commonly hemiisophyllous;
hyaline cells non-ornamented, mostly 1–2-septate.
mostly unranked to weakly 5-ranked, often conspicuously falcate, leaves greatly elongated at distal end.
short and blunt at distal end, leaves loosely spreading.
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, 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.
29–38 µm; covered with large papillae on both surfaces, appearing pusticulate;
proximal laesura less than 0.5 spore radius.
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 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.;
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 cuspidatum
Sphagnum perichaetiale
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.)
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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