Sphagnum imbricatum |
Sphagnum wilfii |
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wilf's sphagnum |
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Habit | Plants moderate-sized, weak-stemmed, lax; yellowish to golden brown; forming loose carpets; branches loosely imbricate. | Plants densely tufted, capitulum ± flat-topped; typically red; forms small tufts and hummocks in shaded and open sites. |
Stem(s) | leaves short-rectangular, 0.8–1.1 mm, hyaline cells mostly non-septate and absent comb-fibrils. |
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 | uncrowded, 5-ranked. |
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Branch leaves | 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. |
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 | dioecious. |
unknown. |
Spores | (22) 24–27(–28) µm, surface granulate. |
unknown. |
Branch | 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. |
fascicles with 2 spreading and 1 pendent branch. |
Sphagnum imbricatum |
Sphagnum wilfii |
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Habitat | Ecology poorly known | Blanket mires, especially with Pinus contorta |
Elevation | moderate elevations | low to moderate elevations |
Distribution |
AK |
AK; BC |
Discussion | 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.) |
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. 52. | FNA vol. 27, p. 101. |
Parent taxa | ||
Sibling taxa | ||
Name authority | Russow: Beitr. Torfm., 99. (1865) | H. A. Crum: in N. L. Britton et al., N. Amer. Fl., ser. 2, 11: 90, fig. 57. (1984) |
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