Sphagnum molliculum Mitt.

The specimen marked type and the one called *S. mossmanianum* seem to be from the same collection. Mitten's sketch fits those specimens better than the other one, although his published description does not help. The "type" has somewhat the aspect of *S. cuspidatum* (as Warnstorf said). The stem leaves are lingulate, rounded-obtuse, with hyaline cells fibrillose throughout and non-septate, on the outer surface with pores none or few and minute at or near the apex, none on the inner. The branch leaves below the capitulum area are acuminate and have few to rather numerous, small pores at commissures on the outer surface, none on the inner. Counter to Andrews' opinion, I would definitely say that the species is not *S. subsecundum*!

The other specimen may belong in the variability of *S. novo-zelandicum*. The plants are quite compact in appearance. The branch fascicles are crowded, and the leaves below the capitulum are not acuminate. The branch leaves have an abundance of ringed elliptic pores in continuous commissural rows on the outer surface (as Mitten's sketch indicates), and on the inner surface there are few pores, more numerous toward the margins and toward the apex with numerous pseudopores and cross connections.

Howard Crum

*Sphagnum molliculum* Mitt.
*Journal Linn. Soc.* 4: 99. 1859. ?1860

*Sphagnum molliculum* Mitt. I should include in *S. subsecundum* Ners.
Annotated Feb. 19, 1952, by A. L. Andrews.

*Sphagnum molliculum* Mitt. HOLOTYPE
Fl. Tasm. 2: 163, 1859

NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN
00226881
barcode inside copyright reserved TYPE cm

*Sphagnum molliculum*

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