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Sphagnum papillosum
Sphagnum papillosum is one of several turgid, fat species of the genus. From these other species that all look somewhat similar, S. papillosum differs in brownish plants and the lack of thread-like spreading branches. Microscopically, it is easily distinguished by having numerous fine papillae on the green cell walls that are in contact with the hyaline cells.
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Above, whole plant |
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| Habit | Large, turgid, yellow-brown plants forming dense, swollen canopies, 0-1 inconspicuous pendent branches visible between capitulum arms. |
| Stems | brownish, with porose and fibrose hyalodermis, spreading branches all short and stubby. |
| Leaves | ovate-elliptic, hooded, and entire at apex, convex surface just below apex with denticulations due to resorption of apical portions of hyaline cells; stem leaves lingulate, hyaline cells frequently 1-divided, withour fibrils, largely resorbed on both surfaces. |
| Leaf Cells | hyaline cells short, somewhat bulging on the convex surface, less so on the concave surface, with numerous elliptic pores on convex surface and inconspicuous rounded pores on concave surface; green cells oval to trapezoidal-triagular, exposed equally or more so on the concave surface, adjoining hyaline cell walls with minute papillae. |
| Habitat | This oceanic to subcontinental species occurs in lawns in poor fens and rarely in bogs along with S. cuspidatum, S. fallax, S. angustifolium, and S. magellancum. |
| Common Associates | In poor fens, S. papillosum sometimes occurs intermixed with S. magellanicum, the latter at the extreme wet end of its habitat and S. papillosum at the extreme dry end of its tolerance for drought. |
pH Meter
