Sphagnum teres
Sphagnum brevifolium
rigid peat-moss, sphagnum
leaves generally larger than branch leaves, 1.3– 1.8 × 0.8–1 mm;
elliptic to lingulate-spatulate, widest above middle, hyaline cells nonseptate.
leaves triangular to lingulate-triangular, apex apiculate, acute and sometimes slightly obtuse, spreading or sometimes appressed;
hyaline cells nonseptate and often fibrillose at leaf apex.
long-cylindrical, branch leaves terete to sometimes distinctly squarrose in shade forms.
straight to distinctly curved, leaves unranked to 5-ranked, leaves not greatly elongate at branch distal end.
1–1.4 mm, ovate to ovate-lanceolate, gradually narrowed to an involute tip, hyaline cells somewhat bulging on concave surface and nearly plane on convex surface, with 4–8 large, elliptic, unringed pores per cell on convex surface and 1–4 irregularly rounded pores per cell on concave surface, internal commissural walls smooth to rather strongly papillose, chlorophyllous cells ovate-triangular with the widest part at or close to the convex surface.
ovate to ovate-lanceolate, greater than 1.2 mm, often subsecund, slightly undulate and slightly recurved when dry;
margin entire;
hyaline cells on convex surface with 1 pore per cell in apical end, on concave surface with round wall thinnings in the cell ends and angles; chlorophyllous cells equilateral to isosceles-triangular, well-enclosed on the concave surface.
dioicous.
dioicous.
21–26 µm;
proximal and distal surfaces smooth, papillae indistinct;
proximal laesura 0.5–0.6 spore radius.
not seen.
fascicles typically with 3 spreading (sometimes 2) and 2 pendent branches.;
branch stems with single layer of cortical cells.
fascicles with 2 spreading and 1–2 pendent branches.;
branch stems with cortex enlarged with conspicuous retort cells, sometimes reddish at proximal end.
Sphagnum teres
Sphagnum brevifolium
Shade forms of Sphagnum teres are often squarrose but these are usually considerably smaller than S. squarrosum. For other distinctions between these species, see discussion under the latter.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Details of the distribution of Sphagnum brevifolium are unclear because of confusion with S. fallax and S. isoviitae. This seems to be a species of poor to medium fens, where it occurs in depressions and floating mats; it does not appear to form extensive fast-growing mats as do S. fallax, S. isoviitae, and S. pacificum. Sphagnum brevifolium is one of five species in the S. recurvum complex with apiculate stem leaves. On the Pacific coast it seemingly co-occurs only with S. pacificum, from which it differs in having branch leaves less sharply recurved and more strongly 5-ranked. In eastern North America it is quite uncommon but can occur with both S. fallax and S. isoviitae of S. recurvum, in the broad sense. Sphagnum fallax has more sharply recurved branch leaves. Sphagnum splendens has a distinct shiny look. The much more common S. isoviitae has a distinctly flatter capitulum, narrower branch leaves and wider stem leaves. In fact, the relatively broad branch leaves of S. brevifolium sometimes can give it the appearance of a slender S. pulchrum, but the latter has much more strongly 5-ranked branch leaves and lacks paired pendent branch buds. See also discussion under 22. S. angustifolium.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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