Sphagnum cuspidatulum C. Müller 1874

The shiny plants of this species are similar to those of Sphagnum sericeum C. Müll., but they differ by having densely fibrillose branch leaves with small, ringed pores at the corners on the dorsal surface and by oblong-ligulate stem leaves with a very broad base.

Plants stout, robust, whitish green tinged with brownish, in dense tufts, shiny when dry. Stem cortex in 2–3 layers, hyaline cells narrow, thin-walled, without fibrils; central cylinder not clearly differentiated. Stem leaves 0.7–1.6 mm × 0.5–0.9 mm, oblong-ligulate or triangular-ligulate, sometimes the basal width wider than length, narrowly obtuse to acute, at times lacerated at the apex, borders narrow, evenly differentiated; hyaline cells divided, rather short and broad, without fibrils and pores, occasionally with one or two large, central pores on the ventral surface. Branches in fascicles of 4–6, with 2–3 spreading, often slender and curved at the apex. Branch leaves usually in 5 rows, 0.8–1.3 mm × 0.3–0.6 mm, ovate-lanceolate, gradually narrowed to a chanelled apex, margins involute, often undulate when dry; hyaline cells densely fibrillose, with numerous large pores at the corners on the ventral surface, with small, ringed pores at the cell angles on the dorsal surface, the inner walls adjacent to green cells smooth; the green cells in cross section triangular, exposed on the dorsal surface. Dioicous. Sporophytes not seen.

Distribution: China, Nepal, India, Myanmar, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines.

Habitat: on shaded ground of coniferous forests or wet humus under Rhododendron in high mountains between 2500 and 3800 m.

Sphagnum rufulum C. Müll., Linnaea 38: 549. 1874.