Sphagnum wulfianum |
Sphagnum bergianum |
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wulf's sphagnum |
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Habit | Plants moderate-sized to robust, capitulum more or less flat-topped and large; dark brown overall with a golden center to the capitulum and a distinctive deep red tinge in the field which becomes a pinkish purple sheen upon drying. | |
Stem(s) | leaves broadly triangular-lingulate, 1.15–1.25 × 0.8 mm, apex slightly to broadly obtuse, border moderately broadened at base; hyaline cells mostly 1-septate with a few to many 2-septate in the mid region, shape rhomboid. |
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Branches | more or less 5-ranked. |
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Branch leaves | with chlorophyllous cells often with faint papillae on interior walls. |
1.2–1.3 × 0.65–0.75 mm, broadly ovate, apex involute; hyaline cells on convex surface with numerous round to elliptic pores along the commissures, these grading from small pores at the apex to large pores at the base; concave surface aporose except for a few large pores in the lower side regions. |
Sexual condition | dioicous. |
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Spores | 26–30 µm. |
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Branch | fascicles with 2 spreading and 1 hanging branch. |
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Sphagnum wulfianum |
Sphagnum bergianum |
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Habitat | Coniferous forests, and occasionally in Alnus or Salix karrs | Hummocks in fens |
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; NF |
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 bergianum forms dense hummocks in medium to rich fen habitats and is associated with such species as Sphagnum warnstorfii, S. subfulvum, S. subsecundum, S. platyphyllum and S. fuscum. Sphagnum bergianum is quite distinct in the field from its very dark brown color tinged with a deep red as well as its 5-ranked branch leaves. Sphagnum subnitens is colored a light brown and red combination, and has unranked branch leaves. Sphagnum subfulvum has a golden brown color that can be tinged with purple but also has unranked branch leaves. Sphagnum flavicomans is a similar-sized brown species of sect. Acutifolia that overlaps S. bergianum in Newfoundland but it is golden brown, lacks the red tinge and has a longer and narrower branch and stem leaves. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 27, p. 85. | FNA vol. 27, p. 90. |
Parent taxa | ||
Sibling taxa | ||
Name authority | Girgensohn: Arch. Naturk. Liv- Ehst- Kurlands, Ser. 2, Biol. Naturk. 2: 173. (1860) | R. E. Andrus: Sida 22: 964, figs. 14–20. (2006) |
Web links |