Sphagnum subnitens

Russow & Warnstorf

Verh. Bot. Vereins Prov. Brandenburg 30: 115, plate 3, fig. 9, plate 4, figs. 22, 23. 1888,.

Treatment appears in FNA Volume 27. Treatment on page 98. Mentioned on page 87, 88, 91, 92, 95.

Plants moderate-sized, relatively robust, smaller in exposed sites, elongated in shaded sites, soft, capitulum ± large; pale green, green, yellowish, yellowbrown, brown, pinkish, purplish; with strong metallic sheen when dry. Stems brown or purplish; superficial cortical cells aporose. Stem-leaves triangular to triangular-lingulate, 1.2–1.7 mm, apex acute to sometimes shortly cuspidate due to involute margins near apex, border narrow at base (less than 0.25 width); hyaline cells mostly efibrillose and aporose, 0–1 (–2) -septate. Branches long and tapering, unranked. Branch fascicles with 2 spreading and 1–2 pendent branches. Branch leaves 1.3–2.7 mm, ovate to ovatelanceolate, 1.3–2.7 mm, concave, straight, apex involute; hyaline cells on convex surface with 2–6 large, narrowly elliptic ringed pores along the commissures, but usually absent from marginal regions of leaf, concave surface aporose or with 1–4 large round pores per cell especially near base. Sexual condition monoicous. Spores 22–32 µm, finely to irregularly coarsely-papillose on proximal surface, irregularly coarsely papillose on distal surface; proximal laesura less than 0.5 spore radius.


Phenology: Capsules mature early summer.
Habitat: Coastal oceanic mires that range from weakly to moderately minerotrophic
Elevation: low to moderate elevations

Distribution

B.C., Alaska, Calif., Oreg., Wash., Eurasia, Pacific Islands (New Zealand)

Discussion

Sporophytes are common in Sphagnum subnitens. The ecology of this species is unclear because of past taxonomic confusion with S. subfulvum. However, the two clearly differ in gametophyte and spore morphology (K. I. Flatberg 1985; Cao T. and D. H. Vitt 1986). The metallic sheen and strongly pointed stem leaves will distinguish this species from the somewhat similar S. capillifolium. See also discussion under 83. S. subfulvum.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"usually longer and thicker" is not a number."broad" is not a number."elongated" is not a number.

... more about "Sphagnum subnitens"
cucullate;involute +
Cyrus B. McQueen† +  and Richard E. Andrus +
Russow & Warnstorf +
fimbriate +
differentiated +
fascicles +  and unranked +
ratio +, length +  and width +
concave +, ovate +  and ovatelanceolate +
0.13 cm1.3 mm <br />0.0013 m <br /> (0.27 cm2.7 mm <br />0.0027 m <br />) +
pendent +  and spreading +
1 +  and 2 +
tapering +
more slender +
differentiated +
0-1(-2)-septate +  and efibrillose +
alternating +
strengthened +
nonornamented +
monoicous +  and sexual +
triangular +  and trapezoidal +
larger +
fibrillose +
spherical +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (?) +  and 0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (?) +
monoicous +, dioicous +  and sexual +
B.C. +, Alaska +, Calif. +, Oreg. +, Wash. +, Eurasia +  and Pacific Islands (New Zealand) +
low to moderate elevations +
monoicous +, dioicous +  and sexual +
conspicuous +
isophyllous +, hemiisophyllous +  and anisophyllous +
Coastal oceanic mires that range from weakly to moderately minerotrophic +
0.12 cm1.2 mm <br />0.0012 m <br /> (0.17 cm1.7 mm <br />0.0017 m <br />) +
triangular;triangular-lingulate +
acute to sometimes +
conspicuous +
Capsules mature early summer. +
1 +  and 4 +
Verh. Bot. Vereins Prov. Brandenburg +
tetrahedral +
septate +, porose +  and efibrillose +
triangular;lingulate-spatulate +
purplish;brown +
differentiated +
Sphagnum sect. Acisphagnum +, Sphagnum sect. Acuta +, Sphagnum sect. Fimbriata +, Sphagnum sect. Litophloea +, Sphagnum sect. Longifolia +, Sphagnum sect. Mollia +, Sphagnum sect. Pyncnosphagnum +  and Sphagnum sect. Truncata +
Sphagnum subnitens +
Sphagnum sect. Acutifolia +
species +
swollen +
red +, pink +, brown +  and green +
smaller +  and medium-sized +