432 



SPHAGNACEAE. 



1. Sphagnum magellanicum Brid. 



MAGELLAN PEAT-MOSS. (Fig. 470.) 

 Plants compact to robust, bright-green 

 or variously tinged with brown, red- 

 brown or more commonly pink to purple- 

 red. Stems up to 6 inches high"; stem- 

 leaves large, long-lingulate to lingulate- 

 spatulate, the border denticulate, hyaline 

 only at the immediate apex; branches 

 frequently short, in fascicles of 4 or 5, 

 2 spreading; branch-leaves imbricate or 

 spreading, broadly ovate, the border den- 

 ticulate especially toward the apex. Dioi- 

 cous. Antheridial branches and leaves 

 hardly differentiated, the latter slightly 

 more highly colored than the others (red 

 or brown). Fruiting branches erect; cap- 

 sule dark-brown; spores brown, minutely 

 papillose. [Sphagnum medium Limpr.J 



In Devonshire Marsh, the only station. 

 Labrador southward to Alabama and 

 Florida ; Michigan ; Minnesota ; California ; 

 Vancouver Island to Alaska ; also in Europe, 

 Asia and South America. 



2. Sphagnum cuspidatum Ehrh. CUSPIDATE PEAT- 

 MOSS. (Fig. 471.) Plants delicate, slender and float- 

 ing or sometimes fairly robust, often up to a foot 

 long, green or yellowish. Stem-leaves small, triangular- 

 ovate, strongly concave, slightly toothed but not lacerate 

 at the apex; the border strong, considerably broadened 

 below, its cell-walls pitted; hyaline cells narrow, short 

 above, divided; branches mostly in fascicles of 3 or 4, 

 2 spreading, the other one or two drooping, not closely 

 applied to and concealing the stem ; branch-leaves slightly 

 or not at all undulate when dry, long-lanceolate, involute, 

 the apex toothed, the border normally entire, of 2-4 

 rows of narrow cells, serrulate on the margin by the pro- 

 jecting ends of the narrow border cells. Dioicous. An- 

 theridia in catkins on spreading branches ; antheridial 

 leaves brown, slightly smaller than the normal branch- 

 leaves, relatively broader and with broader areolation. 

 Fruiting branches erect, sometimes very long, capsule 

 brown; spores brown, roughened. 



In Pembroke and Devonshire marshes. Newfoundland 

 to Georgia ; also in Europe and Asia. Only the form with 

 serrulate leaves is known in the Bermuda flora. 



Order 2. BRYALES. 



Protonema usually filamentous; calyptra apical; pedicel more or less 

 elongated, apical or lateral; capsule generally with a well-developed lid; 

 peristome present or absent, neck usually with stomata. 



