Plants moderate-sized to robust, with distinct capitulum; green,yellowish brown. Stems green to dark reddish brown, superficial cortex of 2--4 layers of efibrillose, non-ornamented, enlarged, thin-walled, aporose, rectangular cells. Stem leaves ovate, ovate-lingulate to lingulate; with broad, fringed apex; little or no border along margins or base; hyaline cells rhomboidal, efibrillose, non-ornamented, aporose, usually nonseptate, with resorption gaps on exterior surface. Branches strongly dimorphic, pendent branches thinner$ but about same length as spreading branches. Branch stems green, with cortex surrounded by 1--2 layers of efibrillose, non-ornamented, enlarged, thin-walled cells, some cells apically porose with inconspicuous necks. Branch leaves strongly squarrose or spreading, ovate, ovate-hastate or ovate-lanceolate, margins entire, apex involute and smooth; hyaline cells fibrillose; with large, round pores at cell ends and along commissures, sometimes with faint papillae on interior walls; chlorophyllous cells ovate-triangular, elliptical to ovate-elliptical in transverse section, more broadly exposed on convex surface, end walls not thickened. Sexual condition monoicous or dioicous. Capsules 2 mm or more, with scattered pseudomata. Spores less than 30 µm, both surfaces smooth to finely papillose; proximal laesura more than 0.5 spore radius.

Lower Taxa

• Sphagnum squarrosum Crome
• Sphagnum teres (Schimper) Ångstrom
• Sphagnum tundrae K. I. Flatberg

Related Synonym(s):

• Sphagnum squarrosum var. imbricatum Schimper = Sphagnum squarrosum Crome
• Sphagnum squarrosum var. teres Schimper = Sphagnum teres (Schimper) Ångstrom
• Sphagnum teres var. squarrosulum (Schimper) Warnstorf = Sphagnum teres (Schimper) Ångstrom