T
T h is is the compact form o f the species, and is always o f small
size and dingy hue. It strangely go t mixed in my Ex siccata with
Sph. amtifohum var. arcfim, from which it may be readily distinguished
by the structure o f the stem leaves.
10. Sphagnum rigidum (N. v. Esenb .), S c h p r .
Pl. x i i i .
Monoicous ; in dense whitish tufts, tinged with glaucous green
or rufous. Stem with 2-3 strata o f cuticular cells. Stem leaves
ve ry small, broadly ovate, the apex rounded, erose. Lea ve s of
divergent branches, ovate-oblong, v e ry co n c a v e ; the margin inflexed
; the apex truncate and toothed ; hyaline cells reticulose
fibred, the chlorophyllose central, compressed.
S y n o n .— .§5/5. compactum ß. rigidum, N e e s , H s c h . S t . Bryol. Germ. i. p. 14
(1849 P- 9 9
sph. immersum, N e e s , H s c h . St . Bry. Germ. i. p. u , t. 2, f. 4. B r id . Bry
Univ. 1. p. 9. /
SpK ambiguum, Hüben. Muse. Germ. p. 25 (1833).
sph. rigidum, Sc h im p . Torfm. p. 65, t. 18 (1858); Synops. p. 678 (i860), et
ed. 2, p. 839 (1876). Lindb. in Öfv. K. Vet. Ak. Förh. xix. p. 139 n 8 (1862)
R u ssow Torfm. p. 77 (1865). M il d e , B ryol. Siles. p. 390 (1869). H a r tm .
Skand FI Sc h l ie p h . in Verh. Z. B. Gesel. Wien, 1865, p. 401. K l in g g . in
Sehr, der K Phys. Oik. Gesel. zu Königs. 1872, p. 9. B r a it h w . Sphag. Brit. Exs.
n. 23 (1877).
Monoicous ; in dense, rather rigid tufts, glaucous green above,
whitish below. Stems erect, dark brown or blackish, 4 -10 in. high,
densely ramulose, usually 2, sometimes 3 -4 partite; cuticular
cells small, non-porose, in 2-3 strata; cells o f the peripheral
layers dark reddish brown. Stem leaves minute, erect, inserted
obliquely, from a broad base, ovate, or obtusely triangular, with a
rounded erose apex, minutely auricled ; areolation lax and rhomboidal
in the middle, with a broad border o f thin narrow cells,
all without fibres or pores, or with the apical cells fibrose and
porose, and a few fibres in the basal cells.
Ramuli 3-4 in a fascicle, short, 1-2 erecto-patent, obtuse, the
others flagelliform, slender, la x -le a v ed ; cuticular cells larger, the
porose scarcely distinct from the rest. Lea ve s o f the divergent
branches quinquefarious, from an ascending base, erecto-patent,
rigid when dry, ovate-oblong, v e ry concave, somewhat cucullate
at apex, but when flattened out, more or less truncate and obtusely
toothed ; margin inflexed ; hyaline cells wide, reticulose fibred, with
many unequal pores, the marginal narrow, in two rows, the outermost
having a longitudinal furrow at the edge ; chlorophyllose
cells enclosed by the hyaline, central, compressed ; leaves o f the
pendent branches elongated, narrower, more distant, and imbricated.
Perichætia gemmiform, somewhat curved, not expanding ; the
bracts ovate and oblongo-lanceolate, subfalcate above ; apex with
two teeth, cells with fibres and minute pores as in the branch
leaves.
Capsule rather small, immersed, or moderately exserted.
Spores ochraceous.
Male inflorescence not amentaceous, but with the antheridia
scattered on the pendent branches ; not numerous, yellowish.
H ab.— Marshy heaths and moorlands, and wet mountain slopes. Generally
distributed in Europe and North America, but not frequent. Fr. July.
Rare in Lapland, but very fine and fertile, attaining a height of one foot or more
(Lindberg). Near Arlary, Kinross, Scotland (Dr. Greville). Linwood Warren,
Lincolnshire (F. A. Lees) ; Canford Heath, Poole, Dorset (Boswell).
T h e tall highly-developed state o f the plant is v e ry wisely
selected by Schimper to stand as the type o f this species, and the
name compactum retained for the short dense form more or less
represented in every species of Sphagnum ; between the extreme
states we have a gradual series o f transition forms which imperceptibly
connect one with the other. A remarkable peculiarity is
presented by this species in its perichætial leaves, the areolation of
which accords with that o f the branch leaves, instead o f with that
of the stem leaves as is almost always the case. T h e fruit is rare
with us, but Dr. Greville’s specimens from A rla ry bear it in
abundance.
Var. ß. compactum (D e C an d .), S chimp.
Plants short, 1 -3 in. high, in ve ry dense cushioned tufts ;
branches densely crowded, erect, short, thick and compressed,
their leaves rounded at apex. Colour pale rufescent, dirty white
or pale green, variegated with rufous. Capsules immersed.
S y n o n .— Sph. compadum. D e C a n d . Fl. Franc, ii. p. 4 4 3 ( 1 8 0 5 ) . B r i d . Sp.
Muse. p. 18 ( 1 8 0 6 ) ; Mantis, p. 3 ( 1 8 1 9 ) ; Bryol. Univ. i. p. 1 6 ( 18 2 6 ) . S c h w a g r .
Supp. I . pt. I, p. 1 2 , t. 3 ( 1 8 1 1 ) . F u n c k , Moos-tasch. p. 4 , t. 2 ( 1 8 2 1 ) . C . M ü ll.
Synops. i. p. 98 ( 1 8 4 9 ) . W ils . Bryol. Brit. p. 1 8 , t. 6 1 (1855). S u l l . Mosses of