Capsules numerous, seated in the capitulum, moderately elevated.
Perichætia large, inflated ; the bracts yellowish green, lower elongated
oblong, upper broadly obovate-oblong, convolute, truncate
and fimbriate at apex, transversely undulate at base, without fibres
or pores. Spores yellow.
Male inflorescence consisting of few antheridia, which are borne
on the pendent branches.
H a b .— Deep bogs in the north. F>. July.
E u r o p e .— Near Lakes Betsetjaur, Skatijaur, and Storavaviken, in Pitean Lapland
(Lindberg, 1856); pretty generally distributed in other parts of Lapland, as well as
in Finland and the north of Sweden; Dovrefjeld, Norway (Berggren); in the
Riesengebirge, Silesia ; Weisse Wiese (Sendtner, 1838); Kleiner Teich, Pantsche
Fall ; Elbwiesen ; Gr. and Kl. Schneegrube (Milde) ; Alps of Salzburg (Sauter).
Ben Wyvis, in Ross-shire, Scotland (McKinlay, 1867); north end of island of
Unst, Shetland (Sim, 1878).
N. A m e r ic a .— Newfoundland; Canada (Drummond), and also in Greenland.
T h is fine species closely resembles Sp/i. intermedium in appearance,
but is easily distinguished by the ve ry different stem
leaves, and the non-undulated branch leaves, unaltered by drying,
as well as by the glossy ferruginous tint ; it is also much more
robust, and by the areolation comes near the subsection acutifolia.
It does not appear to be subject to any variation except in the
shades o f colouring ; but the Scotch specimens are v e ry small in
comparison with those from Lapland.
17 . Sphagnum intermedium, H o ffm an n .
Pl. XXIV. and XXV.
Dioicous ; robust. Cuticular cells in 2-3 strata, small, thin,
and indistinct. Stem leaves ovato-triangular, without fibres or
pores, broadly bordered with narrow elliptic cells. Pendent branches
closely appressed to stem and concealing it. Branch leaves densely
imbricated, broadly lanceolate ; the margins undulate and points
recurved when dry. Spores yellow.
Sy n o n .— Sfh. palustre, molle, deflexum, squamis capillaceis. D il l . Hist. Muse,
p. 243, t. 32, f. 2 a (1741), et Herbar. fol. 32, middle specimen on the left.
Sph. intermedium, H o f fm . Deutsch. Fl. ii. p. 22 (1796) ; excl. syn. Dillenii et
var. ß. C r o m e , Samml. Deutsch. Laubm. fasc. i, p. 25, n. 4 (1803). B r a it h w .
Sphag. Brit. Exsic. n. 47 (1877).
Sph. recurvum, P. B ea u v . Prodr. p. 88 (1805). B r id . Sp. Muse. i. p. 16 (1806),
et Bry. Univ. i. p. 13 (1826). L in d b . in Ôfv. K. Vet. Ak. Förh. xix. p. 136, n. 3
(1862). B e r k . Handb. Br. Moss. p. 308 (1863). K l in g g r . in Sehr, der K. Phys.
OEk. Gesel. zu Königs. 1872, p. 5. H o b k . Syn. Br. Moss. p. 25 (1873). Sc h im p .
Synops. ed. 2, p. 830 (1876).
Sph. acutifolium v a r . a. recurvum. W e b . M o h r , B o t . T a s c h . p . 7 4 ( 1 8 0 7 ) .
Sw a r t z , A d n o t . B o t . p . 7 4 ( 1 8 2 9 ) .
Sph. cuspidatum a. N e e s , H s c h . S t . Bryol. Germ. i. p . 2 3, t. 4, f. 9 ( 1 8 2 3 ) .
C. M ü l l . Synops. i. p. 9 6 ( 1 8 4 9 ) , et Deutschl. Moose, p . 1 2 5 ( 1 8 5 3 ) . J e n s e n ,
Bry. Danica, p . 4 7 ( 1 8 5 6 ) . S u l l . Mosses of Un. St. p . 1 3 , n. 15 ( 1 8 5 6 ) . S c h im p .
Torfm. p. 60, t. 1 6 , f. I ( 1 8 5 8 ) , et Synops. p . 6 7 5 ( i8 6 0 ) . Russow, Beitr. p. 55
( 1 8 6 5 ) . H a r t m . Skand. Fl.ed. 7 , p . 3 9 9 ( 1 8 5 8 ) . S c h l i e p . in Verh. Z . B. Gesel.
Wien, 1865., p . 3 9 3 . M i l d e , Bry. Siles. p . 3 8 3 ( 1 8 6 9 ) , et p . p . A u c t .
Sph. cuspidatiforme, B r e u t e l , Bot. Zeit. 1824, p. 407. B r id . Bry. Univ. i. p. 752.
Sph. albescens. H ü b . Deutsch. Leberm. fasc. 3, n. 7 3 ( 1 8 3 7 ) .
Sph. flexuosum. D o z y , M o l k . Prodr. F l . Batav. p. 7 6 , t. 3 ( 1 8 5 1 ) .
Sph. cuspidatum et var. ß. recurvum, W i l s . Bry. Brit. p. 2 1 ( 1 8 5 5 ) .
Sph. Mougeotii, Sc h im p . in M o u g . N e s t l . St. Crypt. Vog.-Rhen. fasc. 14 , n. 13 0 6
(1854).
Sph. dubium, W i l s . M s s . in H e r b . su o .
Dioicous ; plants robust, straight, in large dense or lax tufts ;
yellow green, pale green or sometimes pale ferruginous above, pale
brown or whitish below. Stems 6 -12 in. high, greenish white,
fragile ; cuticular cells in 2-3 strata, small, thin, not porose, hardly
distinct from the subjacent pale peripheral cells o f stem. Stem
leaves reflexed, rather small, ovato-triangular, minutely auricled,
without fibres or pores, broadly bordered with narrow elliptic cells ;
the apex somewhat obtuse with 3-5 small teeth, not involute at
margin.
Branches 4 -5 in a fascicle, two divergent and arched downward,
the rest pendent, attenuated, closely appressed to the stem and
concealing it ; those o f the coma numerous, short, obtuse, squarrose-
leaved, forming a large dense capitulum ; retort cells elongated,
perforated, and slightly recurved at apex. Branch leaves densely
imbricated, erecto-patent, broadly lanceolate, involute toward apex
which has 2-3 minute teeth, when dry rather glossy, with the
margins undulate and points recurved. Border o f 2-4 rows o f
extremely narrow elongated cells ; hyaline cells o f the upper ha lf
elongated, filled with annular and spiral fibres, and with a few
small pores ; o f the lower half ve ry long, with annular fibres only
and no pores; chlorophyllose cells free on the posterior surface,
trigono-compressed in section.
Capsules numerous in the capitulum, exserted, and also in the
upper fascicles. Perichætium yellow green, the bracts broadly
oval, pointed, concave ; the hyaline cells small, without fibres or
pores, lower ovate, acuminate, recurved at apex, upper elliptic
oblong, emarginate. Spores yellow.