Sphagnum strictum

Sullivant

Musc. Allegh., 201. 1846,.

Synonyms: Sphagnum compactum var. expositum W. S. G. Maas Sphagnum garberi Mitten Sphagnum mexicanum
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 27. Treatment on page 56. Mentioned on page 37, 57, 59.

Plants moderate-sized, pale green, yellow-green to occasionally strongly reddish; growing in loose mats. Stems pale brown to green. Stem leaves very small, less than 0.8 mm, triangular with blunt rounded apex. Branches erect in distal portion of plants. Branch fascicles with 2 short-spreading and 3 long-tapering pendent branches. Branch leaves large, 2.8 mm or longer, sub-squarrose, ovate, involute to broad, truncate apex with more than 6 teeth; hyaline cells with up to 6 non-ringed pores on convex surface with few or no pseudopores, 2–4 elliptic ringed pores on concave surface in corners or along commissures, internal commissural walls minutely papillose (best viewed in oblique sections), rarely smooth; chlorophyllous cells narrowly triangular in transverse section, more broadly exposed on convex surface, enclosed on concave surface. Sexual condition monoicous. Capsule with abundant pseudostomata on surface of capsule. Spores 31–43 µm; coarsely papillose on both proximal and distal surfaces, raised Y-mark sculpture on distal surface; proximal laesura moderately long, 0.4–0.7 spore radius.


Phenology: Capsules common, mature early to mid summer.
Habitat: Pioneer species among grasses on peaty sand, pine barrens, burned-over savannas, seeps in mountainous areas inland
Elevation: low to high elevations

Distribution

V27 22-distribution-map.gif

N.B., Nfld. and Labr. (Nfld.), N.S., Ala., Fla., Ga., La., Maine, Md., N.J., N.C., S.C., Va., Europe.

Discussion

Though they seldom if ever overlap ecologically, Sphagnum strictum and S. squarrosum both usually have squarrose branch leaves, but S. squarrosum has a lingulate fringed stem leaf that differs greatly from the triangular and entire-margined stem leaf of S. strictum.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Sphagnum strictum"
Cyrus B. McQueen† +  and Richard E. Andrus +
Sullivant +
Rigida +
N.B. +, Nfld. and Labr. (Nfld.) +, N.S. +, Ala. +, Fla. +, Ga. +, La. +, Maine +, Md. +, N.J. +, N.C. +, S.C. +, Va. +  and Europe. +
low to high elevations +
Pioneer species among grasses on peaty sand, pine barrens, burned-over savannas, seeps in mountainous areas inland +
Capsules common, mature early to mid summer. +
Musc. Allegh., +
Sphagnum compactum var. expositum +, Sphagnum garberi +  and Sphagnum mexicanum +
Sphagnum strictum +
Sphagnum sect. Rigida +
species +