Sphagnum magellanicum |
Sphagnum compactum |
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Magellan's sphagnum, magellanic peat-moss |
compact peat-moss, low sphagnum |
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Habit | Plants moderate-sized to robust, somewhat lax in shade forms to quite compact and stiff in open grown forms; green to pinkish green to reddish purple; forms lawns in shaded habitats and low to moderately tall, dense hummocks in open habitats. | 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. |
Stem(s) | leaves to 2 × 0.7 mm; rarely hemiisophyllous; hyaline cells non-ornamented, mostly nonseptate. |
leaves small, 0.3–0.7 mm, triangular-lingulate with broad rounded apex, Branches short, crowded, and unranked. |
Branches | long and tapering to short and pointed, leaves loosely imbricate. |
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Branch leaves | broadly ovate, to 2 × 1 mm or more wide, broadly ovate, hyaline cells non-ornamented, convex surface with round to elliptic pores along the commissures; chlorophyllous cells short-elliptic in transverse section and well-enclosed on both surfaces. |
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. |
Sexual condition | dioicous. |
monoicous. |
Capsule | with numerous pseudostomata. |
with abundant pseudostomata. |
Spores | 22–30 µm; roughly papillose to nearly smooth, with distinct Y-mark sculpture on distal surface; proximal laesura 0.5–0.8 spore radius. |
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. |
Branch | fascicles with 2–3 spreading and 2–3 pendent branches.; branch stems with hyaline cells non-ornamented; no or weak funnel-like projections on the interior end walls, large round pores on superficial cell walls. |
fascicles 4–6 branches per fascicle, 2–3 spreading and 2–3 pendent, but plants frequently unbranched in young clones. |
Sphagnum magellanicum |
Sphagnum compactum |
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Phenology | Capsules mature mid summer. | Capsules fairly common, mature summer. |
Habitat | Ecological amplitude very wide, ombrotrophic to rich fen peatlands, forested and open mires | Ombrotrophic to weakly minerotrophic, commonly growing on poorly drained sand, siliceous rocks, bare peat |
Elevation | low to high elevations | low to high elevations |
Distribution |
AK; AL; AR; CA; CT; DE; FL; GA; ID; IL; IN; KY; LA; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; MO; MS; MT; NC; NH; NJ; NY; OH; OR; PA; SC; TN; TX; VA; VT; WA; WI; WV; AB; BC; MB; NB; NF; NS; NT; ON; PE; QC; SK; YT; South America; Eurasia
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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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Discussion | As the only boreal species of the section with a reddish purple color, Sphagnum magellanicum is usually easy to identify. The branch leaf chlorophyll cells are capable of being confused only with those of S. alaskense, which are less enclosed on both surfaces, and S. centrale, which has thickened end walls on the chlorophyll cells that give them a narrow exposure on the concave surface. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
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.) |
Source | FNA vol. 27, p. 52. | FNA vol. 27, p. 56. |
Parent taxa | Sphagnaceae > Sphagnum > sect. Sphagnum | Sphagnaceae > Sphagnum > sect. Rigida |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | S. compactum var. imbricatum, S. rigidum | |
Name authority | Bridel: Muscol. Recent. 2(1): 24. (1798) | Lamarck & de Candolle: Fl. Franç. ed. 3, 2: 443. (1805) |
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