Sphagnum

Description

Plants normally robust, sometimes moderate-sized, stiff and erect, capitulum large and typically hemispherical, usually deep reddish brown, frequently with a faint metallic purplish sheen when dry. Stems dark reddish brown; superficial cortical cells aporose. Stem leaves narrowly triangular-lingulate, 1.5-2 mm, apex right-angled to apiculate, border moderately strong and greatly broadened at the base (more than 0.25 width); hyaline cells rhombic, 0-1-septate, normally fibrillose near apex. Branches not 5-ranked, terete, long and tapering. Branch fascicles with 2 spreading and 1-2 pendent branches. Branch leaves ovate-lanceolate, 1.5-2.3 mm, straight, concave, apex strongly involute; margins entire; hyaline cells on convex surface with elliptic pores along the commissures, grading from moderate-sized pores near leaf apex to large pores at leaf base, concave surface with large round pores in proximal marginal regions of leaf. Sexual condition dioicous. Spores 27-32 -m, finely papillose on both surfaces; proximal laesura less than 0.5 spore radius.