Sphagnum rubellum
Sphagnum henryense
sphagnum
Henry's sphagnum
leaves lingulate-triangular to lingulate, 1–1.4 mm, apex broadly rounded but becoming acute in hemiisophyllous forms, border strongly developed at base (more than 0.25 width);
hyaline cells rhombic and 0–3-septate with some cells in leaf midregion 2–septate.
leaves to 1.9 × 1 mm; rarely hemiisophyllous;
hyaline cells non-ornamented, nonseptate or septate.
weakly to strongly 5-ranked.
± tapering to a point, leaves spreading to moderately imbricate.
ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 0.9–1.2 mm, concave, subsecund on some branches, apex involute;
hyaline cells on convex surface with numerous round to elliptic pores along the commissures, grading from small round pores near apex to round pores near base, on concave surface with large round pores in proximal portions of leaf.
ovate, to 2.7 × 1 mm;
hyaline cells on convex surface with numerous small round pores along the commissures, cell walls overlying chlorophyll cells often with a network of irregular worm like ridges although they may be lacking; chlorophyllous cells isosceles-triangular to narrowly ovate triangular in transverse section and just enclosed on convex surface,end wall not thickened.
dioicous.
dioicous.
with numerous pseudostomata.
18–33 µm, coarsely papillose on both surfaces;
proximal laesura less than 0.4 spore radius.
24–29 µm;
surface finely papillose to nearly smooth.
fascicles with 2 spreading and 1–2 pendent branches.
fascicles with 2 spreading and 2 pendent branches.;
branch stems with hyaline cells non-ornamented; funnel-like projections absent from interior end walls, large round pores on superficial walls.
Sphagnum rubellum
Sphagnum henryense
Sporophytes are uncommon in Sphagnum rubellum. This common species is associated with S. angustifolium, S. capillifolium, S. fallax, S. fuscum, S. magellanicum, S. papillosum, S. recurvum, and S. tenellum. Inland, it has a greater tendency to form extensive carpets and floating mats than hummocks. See also discussion under 65. S. andersonianum, 68. S. bartlettianum, and 86. S. talbotianum.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
The typical form of Sphagnum henryense is a large plant with a quite flat capitulum with a small terminal bud. Microscopically, typical material has distinct ridges on the branch leaf hyaline cells and relatively small and round pores on the branch leaf hyaline cell convex surface. Sphagnum palustre, which has the same branch leaf chlorophyll cell cross section, typically has smooth hyaline cell walls and hyaline cell pores that are larger and more elliptical in shape. However, Sphagnum species are plastic phenotypically and it is common to find plants that cannot be reliably assigned to either S. henryense or S. palustre. For example, some species of Sphagnum that are relatively easy to distinguish on other characteristics, such as S. papillosum, S. alaskense and S. affine, may occasionally completely lack any hyaline cell ornamentation or display it in reduced form. Since these can be distinguished on other characters, the species are still readily identifiable, but when S. henryense lacks the ornamentation, there is no other solid character to distinguish it from S. palustre. Thus, although we can find material from both North American coasts that has good ornamentation (R. E. Andrus 1980), there is much other material that looks in other respects like S. henryense but lacks the ornamentation. Barring taxonomy beyond microscopic examination, many collections of henryense/palustre will of necessity not be absolutely identifiable. Where their ranges overlap, mixed stands may often be found. We believe that the species are still good, but accurate delimitation of their distinctive ecologies and ranges will be very problematic.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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