Sphagnum warnstorfii |
Sphagnum rubiginosum |
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Warnstorf's peat-moss, Warnstorf's sphagnum |
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Habit | Plants small or less frequently moderate-sized, slender, capitulum flat-topped and stellate; green or dark purplish red and green, rarely green throughout, often with a distinctive bluish cast when dry. | Plants slender to moderately robust, capitulum flat-topped to somewhate convex, terminal bud rather conspicuous, slightly to distinctly stellate; green to variegated green and brown-red to red-brown, lacking metallic sheen when dry. |
Stem(s) | leaves triangular-lingulate to lingulate, 1.1–1.4 mm, apex broad-rounded to narrowly truncate, border very broad at base (more than 0.3 width); hyaline cells efibrillose, rhombic, mostly 1-septate but can be non-septate. |
leaves broadly lingulate-spathulate to spatulate, widest at base and/or distal third, usually narrower in the mid region, 1–1.3 mm, apex narrowly to broadly truncate and ± fimbriate-lacerate, border narrow distally and expanded proximally to 0.25 width or more; hyaline cells efibrillose, irregularly rhombic to subquadrate, many cells 2–4-septate. |
Branches | long and tapering, usually strongly 5-ranked. |
unranked. |
Branch leaves | ovate-lanceolate, 0.9–1.4 mm, concave, straight, apex involute; hyaline cells on convex surface with very small ringed pores (less than 0.25 cell width) along commissures near apex, changing abruptly to large elliptical pores (0.4 cell width or more) basally, concave surface with large round pores in proximal margins and leaf base. |
ovate-lanceolate, 1.1–1.4 mm, slightly concave, straight, apex involute; hyaline cells on convex surface grading from aporose to few small round pores near apex to numerous semi-elliptic pores along commissures in middle and base of leaf, concave surface with a few large irregular to circular pores (1–4) occupying most of the cell width. |
Sexual condition | dioicous. |
autoicous. |
Spores | 17–26 µm, finely papillose on both surfaces; proximal laesura less than 0.5 spore radius. |
20–27 µm, moderately granulate-papillose on both surfaces, distinct raise Y-mark sculpture on distal surface; proximal laesura less than or equal to 0.5 spore radius. |
Branch | fascicles with 2 spreading and 1–2 pendent branches. |
fascicles with 3(4–5) spreading branches and 1–2 pendent branches. |
Sphagnum warnstorfii |
Sphagnum rubiginosum |
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Phenology | Capsules mature late summer to early autumn. | Capsules mature mid to late summer. |
Habitat | Minerotropic, hygrophytic, frequent in medium to rich fens | Shaded areas in humid, spruce forests |
Elevation | low to moderate elevations | low to moderate elevations |
Distribution |
AK; CO; CT; IA; ID; IN; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; MT; NC; NH; NJ; NY; OH; PA; RI; SD; UT; VT; WA; WI; WY; AB; BC; MB; NB; NF; NS; NT; NU; ON; QC; SK; YT; Greenland; Eurasia
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AK; WA; BC; NF; Europe |
Discussion | Sporophytes are uncommon in Sphagnum warnstorfii. This is one of the most minerotrophic species of the flora, is hygrophytic, and has a very broad niche. The most commonly associated vascular plants are Thuja occidentalis, Abies balsamea, and Picea rubens. Bryophytes typically associated with it are S. centrale, S. squarrosum, S. teres, Calliergonella cuspidata, and Campylium stellatum. This species is perhaps most similar to S. bartlettianum, with which it has small range overlap. Sphagnum warnstorfii has a shorter and less sharply pointed stem leaf and the red color with a characteristic bluish caste compared to the crimson red of S. bartlettianum. See also discussion under 81. S. russowii and 86. S. talbotianum. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
The sporophytes of Sphagnum rubiginosum are common. The geographic distribution is unclear because of the species’ recent description and possible confusion with S. girgensohnii. It is clearly distinct from S. girgensohnii in coloration, number of spreading branch fascicles, the common occurrence of sporophytes (rarely found with S. girgensohnii, and spore morophology. The conspicuous three spreading branches will separate this from all species of sect. Acutifolia except S. quinquefarium. The latter has 5-ranked branch leaves, while those of S. rubiginosum are unranked. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 27, p. 101. | FNA vol. 27, p. 96. |
Parent taxa | Sphagnaceae > Sphagnum > sect. Acutifolia | Sphagnaceae > Sphagnum > sect. Acutifolia |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | S. warnstorfianum | |
Name authority | Russow: Sitzungs.-Ber. Naturf.-Ges. Univ. Dorpat 8: 315. (1888) | Flatberg: Lindbergia 18: 61. (1993) |
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