Sphagnum splendens |
Sphagnum squarrosum |
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sphagnum |
rough peat moss, shaggy peat, sphagnum, spiky bog-moss, spread-leaf peat moss, spreading-leaf bog moss |
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Habit | Plants moderate-sized, pale brown and shiny, capitulum well defined. | Plants robust, stiff; green, pale green, yellow-green; large terminal bud; typically as loose carpets in coniferous forests. |
Stem(s) | leaves triangular, 0.7–0.9 mm, appressed to stem; apex apiculate; hyaline cells efibrillose and nonseptate. |
green to red-brown; 2–3 superficial cortical layers.; stem leaves shorter than branch leaves, ovate-lingulate to oblong-lingulate, 1.6–1.8 × 1–1.2 mm; hyaline cells mostly nonseptate. |
Branches | moderately tapering, leaves only moderately larger at branch tips. |
long and tapering with distinct squarrose spreading leaves, often terete in tundra forms. |
Branch leaves | ovate-lanceolate, 1–1.4 mm; straight; stiff, not undulate and slightly recurved; margins entire; hyaline cells efibrillose, convex surface with 1 pore per cell at cell apex, on concave surface with round wall thinnings in the cell ends and angles; chlorophyllous cells triangular in transverse section and well enclosed to just reaching concave surface. |
larger than stem leaves, 1.9–2.8 mm, conspicuously squarrose from ovate-hastate base and abruptly narrowed 1/2–1/3 distance from apex into involute-concave acumen, often terete in tundra forms; hyaline cells convex on both surfaces, non-ringed pores at ends and corners of cells, ringed pores on concave surface (4–8/cell) and nonringed pores (2–4/cell) on convex surface, internal commissural walls smooth or indistinctly papillose, chlorophyllous cells ovate triangular with widest part at or close to the convex surface. |
Sexual condition | unknown. |
monoicous. |
Spores | unknown. |
17–30 µm; proximal surface finely papillose, distal surface smooth with raised bifurcated Y-mark sculpture; proximal laesura more than 0.5 spore radius. |
Branch | fascicles with 2 spreading and 2 pendent branches.; branch stems green; cortex enlarged with conspicuous retort cells. |
fascicles with 2 spreading and 2–3 pendent branches.; branch stems with 1–2 layers of cortical cells. |
Sphagnum splendens |
Sphagnum squarrosum |
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Phenology | Sporophytes abundant, capsules mature early to mid summer. | |
Habitat | Moderate elevations | Forming loose carpets in rich habitats such as wet coniferous forests, Thuja swamps, karrs, medium fens, and stream margins |
Elevation | low to high elevations | |
Distribution |
QC; Known only from the type locality |
AK; AZ; CA; CO; CT; IA; ID; IL; IN; MA; ME; MI; MN; MT; NC; NH; NJ; NY; OR; PA; SD; TN; VT; WA; WI; WV; WY; AB; BC; MB; NB; NF; NS; NT; NU; ON; PE; QC; SK; YT; Greenland; Eurasia; Pacific Islands (New Zealand)
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Discussion | Sporophytes of Sphagnum splendens are unknown. The lack of any fibrils in the branch leaf hyaline cells gives it an unusually glossy appearance that should make it readily identifiable in the field. The facts that it differs from S. fallax in only one character and that it is known only from the type locality make S. splendens questionably distinct to some observers. More investigation is needed. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
In its typical robust form with strongly squarrose branch leaves, Sphagnum squarrosum is unmistakeable. Smaller forms such as occur in the higher mountains may be difficult to identify accurately without careful examination of microscopic details. In the tundra there sometimes occur large, terete forms of S. squarrosum but these are usually considerably more robust than S. teres. See also discussion under 14. S. strictum. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 27, p. 76. | FNA vol. 27, p. 59. |
Parent taxa | ||
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | S. squarrosum var. imbricatum | |
Name authority | Maass: Bryologist 70: 193, figs. 1–4. (1967) | Crome: Samml. Deut. Laubm., 24. (1803) |
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