Sphagnum warnstorfii |
Sphagnum tenellum |
|
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Warnstorf's peat-moss, Warnstorf's sphagnum |
soft peat-moss, sphagnum |
|
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 small, slender and weak-stemmed; pale yellow to golden brown, rarely tinged with red; capitulum not especially distinct. |
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 ovate-lingulate; 1–1.3 mm, apex broadly rounded; hyaline cells nonseptate, aporose and fibrillose in at least distal half of leaf. |
Branches | long and tapering, usually strongly 5-ranked. |
2–3 spreading and 2 pendent leaves not much elongated at distal end. |
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, 1–1.5 mm; straight; not or weakly undulate or recurved when dry; margins entire; hyaline cells short and wide, convex surface with 1–3 small pores per cell and on concave surface with large round wall thinnings in the cell angles; chlorophyllous cells equilateral-triangular in transverse section, broadly exposed on convex surface and just reaching to well-enclosed on concave surface. |
Sexual condition | dioicous. |
monoicous. |
Spores | 17–26 µm, finely papillose on both surfaces; proximal laesura less than 0.5 spore radius. |
27–42 µm; both surfaces smooth, proximal surface with distinct bifurcated Y-mark sculpture surrounded by distinct circular border, distal surface with distinct raised border around margins; proximal laesura usually less than 0.4 spore radius. |
Branch | fascicles with 2 spreading and 1–2 pendent branches. |
stems green; cortex enlarged, with conspicuously long-necked retort cells. |
Sphagnum warnstorfii |
Sphagnum tenellum |
|
Phenology | Capsules mature late summer to early autumn. | Capsules mature early to mid summer. |
Habitat | Minerotropic, hygrophytic, frequent in medium to rich fens | Wet depressions in a variety of ombrotropic and weakly minerotrophic habitats |
Elevation | low to moderate elevations | low to high 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; ME; NC; NJ; NY; BC; MB; NB; NF; NS; Greenland; Eurasia |
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.) |
Sporophytes are common in Sphagnum tenellum. The delicate appearance created by the ovate and concave branch leaves as well as the large concave stem leaves make this a usually unmistakeable species. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 27, p. 101. | FNA vol. 27, p. 76. |
Parent taxa | Sphagnaceae > Sphagnum > sect. Acutifolia | Sphagnaceae > Sphagnum > sect. Cuspidata |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | S. warnstorfianum | S. cymbifolium var. tenellum, S. molluscum |
Name authority | Russow: Sitzungs.-Ber. Naturf.-Ges. Univ. Dorpat 8: 315. (1888) | (Bridel) Bory: Voy. Îles Afrique. 3: 107. (1804) |
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