Sphagnum perichaetiale Hampe

  • Authority

    Sharp, Aaron J., et al. 1994. The Moss Flora of Mexico. Part One: Sphagnales to Bryales. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 69 (1): 1-452.

  • Family

    Sphagnaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Sphagnum perichaetiale Hampe

  • Description

    Species Description - Plants small in dense cushions or rather robust in loose tufts, pale orange-brown or darker and yellow-brown, redbrown, or blackish, sometimes pink or red. Wood cylinder brown to purplish; cortical cells in 3-4 layers, with cells 1-3-porose and sparsely fibrillose (if at all). Stem leaves flat, Ungulate, rounded and hyaline at the apex, finely fringed all around, those of a small growth form resembling branch leaves, those of larger, laxer expressions small, with hyaline cells often 1-2-septate and not or somewhat fibrillose, with large gaps. Branches in fascicles of 4-5 (2 spreading); cortical cells uniporose, with fibrils sometimes lacking. Branch leaves imbricate or somewhat spreading, broadly ovate, cucullate-concave, denticulate along a resorption furrow and roughened at back of the apex because of membrane gaps; hyaline cells convex on both surfaces, on the outer surface with ringed, elliptic pores few and usually not perforate, grouped in 2s and 3s at adjacent comers, passing into gaps above, on the inner surface with few, large, unringed pores; green cells in section narrowly rectangular to lenticular, equally exposed, often thickened at the ends. Dioicous. Spores 25-39 µm, smooth or papillose.

  • Discussion

    S. perichaetiale Hampe, Linnaea 20: 66. 1847.

    S. erythrocalyx Hampe exC. Mull., Syn. Muse. Frond. 1: 92.1848.

    S. huntii Warnst. in Engler, Pflanzenreich 51: 521. 1911.

    The equal exposure of green cells and (usually) the imperforate pores on the outer surface of branch leaves aid in identification of this species of little character and variable size and appearance.

  • Distribution

    On marshy creek bank at 2600 m alt., Chiapas (Paraje Matsab, Mun.

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