Sphagnum

Description

Forms tight mats, with a smooth, velvety surface, the shoot branches squeezed together and pointing upwards, making individual capitula hardly discernible. May also occur as looser, low cushions. Often found in small amounts, but can occur in quite large, pure stands. Pale or whitish-green, with a hint of pink, and never strongly coloured. Branch leaves are broad, concave, widest at mid-leaf and not abruptly narrowed towards the tip. The stem is pale or flecked with pink. Stem leaves are large - very large in comparison to branch leaves - and are widest at mid-leaf. Cushions often have unbranched stems mixed in with normal branched stems. Capsules are common.