Sphagnum wulfianum |
Sphagnum austinii |
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wulf's sphagnum |
Austin's peat-moss, Austin's sphagnum |
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Habit | Plants moderate-sized to large, usually quite compact; reddish brown and often yellow flecked with red-brown; in dense stands forming large and tall hummocks. | |
Stem(s) | leaves 1.2–1.6 × 1 mm; rarely hemiisophyllous; hyaline cells nonseptate or more typically mostly septate, comb-lamellae present on interior wall. |
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Branches | clavate, tapering to short point, tightly imbricate at proximal end to somewhat spreading at distal end in less compact forms. |
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Branch leaves | with chlorophyllous cells often with faint papillae on interior walls. |
ovate-elliptical to elliptical, 1.5–2.1 × 0.8–1.4 mm; hyaline cells on convex surface with numerous moderate-sized round pores along the commissures, comb-lamellae present throughout most of leaf; chlorophyllous cells broadly triangular in transverse section and well-enclosed on the convex surface, end wall not thickened. |
Sexual condition | dioicous. |
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Capsule | with scattered pseudostomata. |
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Spores | 23–28 µm; coarsely granulate on both surfaces; proximal laesura more than 0.50 spore radius. |
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Branch | fascicles with 2 spreading and 1 pendent branch.; branch stems with cortical cell comb-lamellae visible on interior wall, conspicuous funnel-like projection on interior end walls extending to next cell less than one half its length, pores in superficial wall restricted to leaf bases. |
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Sphagnum wulfianum |
Sphagnum austinii |
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Phenology | Capsules common, mature mid summer. | |
Habitat | Coniferous forests, and occasionally in Alnus or Salix karrs | Ombrotrophic mires and large hummocks in blanket mires |
Elevation | low to moderate elevations | low to moderate elevations |
Distribution |
CT; IL; IN; MA; ME; MI; MN; NH; NY; OH; PA; RI; VT; WI; AB; BC; MB; NB; NF; NS; ON; QC; Greenland; Eurasia |
AK; MA; ME; NJ; VT; WA; BC; NB; NF; NS; Europe |
Discussion | The sporophytes of Sphagnum wulfianum are moderately common. This is the most dry-growing species in North America, typically growing in association with Sphagnum centrale, S. girgensohnii, S. russowii, and S. squarrosum. It is easily recognized as the only species that regularly has more than six branches per fascicle. The Lycopodium clavatum-like growth habit and conifer swamp habitat along with the strongly 5-ranked branch leaves make it even easier to recognize in the field. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Sphagnum austinii is usually easily recognized in the field by its strongly imbricate and clavate branches. It forms very dense and often tall hummocks with a distinct deep golden brown color. In contrast to the view stated by H. A. Crum (1997), this species has an ecology and distribution quite distinct from those of S. affine. Sphagnum affine is a minerotrophic species that does not even occur in the Pacific coast region, where S. austinii is quite prominent. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 27, p. 85. | FNA vol. 27, p. 50. |
Parent taxa | ||
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | S. cymbifolium subsp. austinii, S. cymbifolium var. austinii, S. imbricatum subsp. austinii | |
Name authority | Girgensohn: Arch. Naturk. Liv- Ehst- Kurlands, Ser. 2, Biol. Naturk. 2: 173. (1860) | Sullivant: in C. F. Austin, Musci Appalach., 2. 1870 (as austini), |
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