BFNA | Family List | Sphagnaceae | Sphagnum

Taxon in Process: Sphagnum Species H

Plants small; capitulum flat-topped and moderately dense, small to moderate-sized; pink colored with a strong purplish metallic sheen when dry. Stem cortex aporose. Stem leaves small, 0.8--0.9 ´ 0.5 mm, lingulate-triangular with ± obtuse apex, border strongly developed at base; hyaline cells often 1--septate at apex and sides$ but mostly nonseptate in distal mid-region, efibrillose and aporose. Branches 5-ranked and loosely spreading. Branch fascicles with 2 spreading and 1--2 pendent branches. Branch stem with conspicuously necked retort cells. Branch leaves small, 1--1.2 ´ 0.3--0.35, straight and narrowly ovate-lanceolate; convex surface with moderate-sized pores, grading from 6--7 μm near apex to more than 20 μm at base, concave surface aporose except for occasional large round pores in proximal portions. Sexual condition unknown. Sporophytes unknown. Spores unknown.

Forming low hummocks in poor to medium fens in Arctic and maritime tundra; Alaska.

In its general range, there are potentially three other species of sect. Acutifolia with quinquefarious branch leaves. Sphagnum rubellum lacks any metallic sheen and has branch leaves somewhat subsecund and less strictly 5-ranked. Sphagnum quinquefarium has a more triangular stem leaf, lacks the metallic sheen, and has some branch fascicles with three spreading branches. Sphagnum warnstorfii is most similar$ but macroscopically has a somewhat larger stem leaf and appears only slightly shiny, if at all. Microscopically, S. warnstorfii is readily distinguished by its tiny branch leaf pores.