Sphagnum subsecundum |
Sphagnum splendens |
|
---|---|---|
cow-horn peat-moss, sphagnum |
sphagnum |
|
Habit | Plants small, slender, often wiry; green, yellow-brown or golden brown; capitulum small with terminal bud absent. | Plants moderate-sized, pale brown and shiny, capitulum well defined. |
Stem(s) | 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, 0.7–0.9 mm, appressed to stem; apex apiculate; hyaline cells efibrillose and nonseptate. |
Branches | often short and blunt. |
moderately tapering, leaves only moderately larger at branch tips. |
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. |
|
Sexual condition | dioicous. |
unknown. |
Capsule | exserted, with few pseudostomata. |
|
Spores | 30–35 µm; finely papillose on both surfaces, distinct bifurcated Y-mark sculpture on distal surface; proximal laesurae more than 0.5 spore radius. |
unknown. |
Branch | 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. |
fascicles with 2 spreading and 2 pendent branches.; branch stems green; cortex enlarged with conspicuous retort cells. |
Sphagnum subsecundum |
Sphagnum splendens |
|
Habitat | Minerotrophic, near the edges of open, poor fens, less commonly found in open medium fens | Moderate elevations |
Elevation | low to high elevations | |
Distribution |
AK; CA; CO; CT; ID; IL; IN; MA; ME; MI; MN; MT; NH; NJ; NY; OH; OR; PA; RI; VT; WA; WI; WY; AB; BC; MB; NB; NF; NS; NT; ON; QC; YT; Greenland; Eurasia
|
QC; Known only from the type locality |
Discussion | 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.) |
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.) |
Source | FNA vol. 27, p. 84. | FNA vol. 27, p. 76. |
Parent taxa | Sphagnaceae > Sphagnum > sect. Subsecunda | Sphagnaceae > Sphagnum > sect. Cuspidata |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | S. crispum | |
Name authority | Nees: in J. Sturm et al., Deutschl. Fl. 2(17): species 3. (1819) | Maass: Bryologist 70: 193, figs. 1–4. (1967) |
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