Sphagnum junghuhnianum

Plants moderate-sized, soft, loosely tufted, slender, capitulum flat-topped to rounded; pale, dirty green, yellowish to brownish; without metallic lustre when dry. Stems brown to reddish brown; superficial cortical cells usually aporose, but some have a single round to elliptical pore in the distal portion of the cell free from the cell wall. Stem leaves triangular-lingulate, 1.2–1.6 mm, broadly apex acute to narrowly truncate and toothed, border narrow or indistinct at base (less than 0.25 the width); hyaline cells rhomboid, mostly 0–1-septate; convex surface with membrane pleats, concave surface with 1–3 rounded membrane gaps occupying most of cell. Branches somewhat 5-ranked. Branch fascicles with 2 spreading and 1–2 pendent branches. Branch leaves ovate-lanceolate, 1.3–2 mm, strongly concave, apex strongly involute; margins entire to somewhat toothed near apex, hyaline cells on convex surface with numerous ringed elliptic pores (6–10) along commissures, concave surface mostly aporose except near margins; Sexual condition dioicous or monoicous. Spores 21–23 µm; minutely papillose.

Habitat: Shady, seepy cliffs
Elevation: low elevations

B.C., e Asia.

Discussion

Sphagnum junghuhnianum in the flora area is known only from the Queen Charlotte Islands.

Sporophytes of Sphagnum junghuhnianum were not seen. Three other large, brown species of sect. Acutifolia have stem leaves without fimbriate to lacerate apices, S. subnitens (forms without red color), S. subfulvum, and S. flavicomans. Sphagnum flavicomans has a more pointed stem leaf and a darker brown color as well as a strongly different ecology and range. Both S. subnitens and S. subfulvum have a glossy sheen when dry that is lacking in S. junghuhnianum. Sexual condition and spore characters were taken from H. A. Crum (1984).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa