Sphagnum mendocinum
Sphagnum oregonense
Mendocino sphagnum
Oregon sphagnum
leaves broadly oblong-triangular, 1.2–1.5 mm; mostly appressed to stem;
apex obtuse;
hyaline cells narrow, usually nonseptate, efibrillose and aporose on convex surface near apex, on concave surface usually efibrillose with irregular pores along commissures in distal portion of leaf.
leaves lingulate, 1–1.2 mm, apex entire to somewhat erose;
hyaline cells non-septate;
fibrillose and porose in apical region.
with loosely imbricate leaves; often 5-ranked;
leaves little to somewhat elongated at distal end.
slender with small spreading leaves.
ovate, ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate; 2–3.5 mm;
flat and undulate at margins and recurved at apex when dry; straight;
margins entire;
hyaline cells on concave surface with very numerous, small ringed or unringed pores along the commissures, 5–12 in distal portion of leaf and 20–27 in proximal portion, convex surface with 5–15 pores per cell in distal portion of leaf and 14–21 in proximal portion, pores usually without a ring; chlorophyllous cells triangular to trapezoidal in transverse section and exposed slightly on concave surface.
ovate-lanceolate, 1.4–1.6 mm, straight to slightly subsecund, weakly undulate, often recurved in capitulum branches;
hyaline cells on convex surface with up to 5 small round faint pores per cell in the basal portion of the cell and free from the cell margins, concave surface aporose.
dioicous.
unknown.
not seen.
ca. 30 µm;
very slightly roughened.
not seen.
fascicles with 2 spreading and 2–3 pendent branches.;
branch stems green, with cortical cells in 1 layer with conspicuous necks.
fascicles with 2 spreading and 2 pendent branches.
Sphagnum mendocinum
Sphagnum oregonense
Sporophytes of Sphagnum mendocinum are uncommon. Although the unique branch leaf porosity makes it unmistakable microscopically, it may be confused with other species in the field. It is unusual ecologically in that it seems to overlap both the carpet- and lawn-forming habits—in other words it seems intermediate between S. recurvum and S. cuspidatum, in the broad sense. Among the species that it overlaps floristically, it is more robust and darker colored than S. pacificum. The latter also has an apiculate stem leaf compared to the more or less obtuse stem leaves of S. mendocinum. The more wet-growing S. majus var. majus and S. majus var. norvegicum, with which it slightly overlaps in habitat, have branch leaves that are strongly elongated at the distal branch ends whereas those of S. mendocinum are not. See also discussion under 40. S. obtusum. Sexual condition and spore characters are taken from from H. A. Crum (1984).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Sphagnum oregonense is currently known only from the type locality. Sporophytes of it are unknown. It is associated with other minerotrophic bryophytes such as Meesia triquetra, Calliergon cordifolium, and Campylium polygamum. This is a curious species that has an obvious close relationship with sect. Cuspidata. When wet it is similar in appearance to S. subsecundum but upon drying the sightly undulate and recurved branch leaves give it the charactereistic appearance of this section. The branch leave porosity is also more similar to that of species in sect. Cuspidata than that found in sect. Subsecunda.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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