Sphagnum subsecundum
Sphagnum orientale
cow-horn peat-moss, sphagnum
oriental sphagnum
leaves triangular-lingulate, 0.8 mm or less;
apex entire or weakly denticulate, hyaline cells sometimes septate, efibrillose and aporose except near apex.
leaves triangular-lingulate to lingulate; 0.7–0.8 mm;
apex rounded and often erose, hyaline cells nonseptate or sometimes 1-septate, numerous small round pores more than 2 µm along the commissures and scattered across the cell on the convex surface, on the concave surface fewer similar-sized pores along the commissures.
often short and blunt.
short and slightly curved Branch fascicles with 2 spreading and 2 pendent branches.
ovate, 1.1–1.3 mm, distinctly curved to secund;
hyaline cells covered with numerous (more than 30 per cell) tiny pores (ca. 1 µm) on convex surface along the commissures and across the cell surface, sometimes forming several linear rows of free pores, on concave surface with fewer pores round to oval and slightly larger (more than 2 µm) restricted to commissures.
dioicous.
probably dioicous.
exserted, with few pseudostomata.
not seen.
30–35 µm; finely papillose on both surfaces, distinct bifurcated Y-mark sculpture on distal surface;
proximal laesurae more than 0.5 spore radius.
not seen.
fascicles with 2–3 spreading and 2–3 pendent branches Branch leaves broadly ovate, subsecund, hyaline cells on convex surface with very numerous small pores (18–40 per cell) in a continuous row along the commissures, concave surface usually aporose.
Sphagnum subsecundum
Sphagnum orientale
Sporophytes are rare in Sphagnum subsecundum. This species is often associated with S. angustifolium, S. centrale, S. fimbriatum, S. flexuosum, S. palustre, and S. teres. The most widespread and common species of sect. Subsecunda, it exhibits considerable phenotypic plasticity in size. However, the stem leaves are always quite small in comparison to those of similar species. See also discussions under 52. S. contortum and 55. S. inexspectatum.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
The ecology of Sphagnum orientale is poorly known, due in part to taxonomic confusion with S. perfoliatum and in part to its very northern distribution. Like other species of sect. Subsecunda, however, it is clearly minerotrophic, probably weakly so. Associated vascular plants include Carex aquatilis Wahlenberg, C. bigelowii Torrey, C. fuliginosa Schkuhr, C. rotundata Wahlenberg, Eriophorum vaginatum Linnaeus, Vaccinium oxycoccus Linnaeus, and Betula glandulosa Michaux. Associated bryophytes include Sphagnum aongstroemii, S. fimbriatum subsp. concinnum, S. jensenii, S. obtusum, S. rubellum, S. talbotianum, S. squarrosum, and Cinclidium subrotundatum. Sporophytes are rare. Similar species with which it overlaps in range are S. subsecundum, S. perfoliatum and S. inexspectatum. Field separation from S. subsecundum and S. inexspectatum is difficult but the tiny branch leaf pores will separate it microsopically. Sphagnum perfoliatum is much larger and indeed looks much like some forms of S. lescurii or S.auriculatum, even to having curved, horn-like branches. Sphagnum perfoliatum is also typically quite richly colored and glossy in appearance.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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