Sphagnum Identification Key
Interactive dichotomous keys. Identify the section of your specimen, then narrow down to species by region.
1
Identify the Section or Subgenus
Key to Sections & Subgenera
Determine which section your specimen belongs to. Works globally, independent of region.
2
Species Keys by Region — requires microscopy
3
Macroscopic Key by Region
★
Alternative — Multi-Access Key
Multi-Access Key
No fixed order — tick any characters you can observe (colour, capitulum, leaf shape …) and watch the list of matching species narrow down. Ideal when a specimen is incomplete.
25 characters · 20 species
Whole plant
Colour
Green
Pale green
Yellowish
Ochre / brownish
Rust brown
Reddish
Deep red
Purplish
Growth form
Compact hummock
Loose cushion / lawn
Aquatic
Feathery
Capitulum
Capitulum form
Compact / dense
Lax
Five-pointed / stellate
Branches
Spreading branches per fascicle
2
3
4
4–5
Pendent branches per fascicle
1
2
2–3
3
Stem
Cortex layers
1
2
3
4
5
Cortex pores
Numerous
Scattered
Absent
Cortical fibrils
Present
Absent
Stem colour
Pale
Yellow
Brown
Dark brown to black
Stem leaf
Shape
Triangular
Lingulate
Triangular-lingulate
Ovate-lingulate
Spatulate
Apex
Rounded
Pointed / acute
Cucullate (hooded)
Erose
Broadly fringed
Fringed at margin only
Border
Present
Absent
Strongly widened at base
Hyaline cell fibrils
Present
Absent
Partial / in upper part only
Branch leaf
Shape
Ovate
Ovate-lanceolate
Lanceolate
Lingulate
Fusiform
Tip
Acute
Acuminate
Obtuse
Truncate
Reflexed
Margin
Entire
Serrulate
Serrate
Arrangement
Distinctly 5-ranked
Not 5-ranked
Squarrose when wet
Resorption furrow
Present
Absent
Branch leaf (microscopic)
Hyaline cell fibrils
Present
Absent
Pore surface
Ventral (concave) only
Dorsal (convex) only
Both surfaces
Absent
Pore type
Large / oval
Small / round
Strongly ringed
Elliptic
Green cell cross-section
Triangular
Trapezoidal
Elliptic
Fusiform
Ovate
Green cell exposure
Enclosed (both sides)
Exposed ventral (concave)
Exposed dorsal (convex)
Exposed both sides
Ecology
Habitat
Ombrotrophic (raised bog)
Minerotrophic (fen)
Both
Aquatic
Water level
Submerged
Wet
Moist
Damp / drier
20
of 20 species