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Sphagnum divinum

Flatberg & Hassel

Divine Peatmoss

GNRUnranked Found in 2 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
GNRUnrankedGlobal Rank
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.1126328
Element CodeNBMUS6Z640
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryNonvascular Plant
KingdomPlantae
PhylumBryophyta
ClassSphagnopsida
OrderSphagnales
FamilySphagnaceae
GenusSphagnum
Concept Reference
Hassel, K., M.O. Kyrjeeide, N. Yousefi, T. Prestø, H.K. Stenøien, J.A. Shaw, and K.I. Flatberg. 2018. Sphagnum divinum (sp. nov.) and S. medium Limpr. and their relationship to S. magellanicum Brid. Journal of Bryology 40(3):197-222.
Taxonomic Comments
Hassel et al. (2018) narrow the concept of Sphagnum magellanicum by treating S. medium and newly described S. divinum as distinct. S. divinum has a circumpolar distribution around the northern hemisphere (Hassel et al. 2018). S. magellanicum sensu stricto is restricted to Tierra del Fuego on the southern tip of South America (Hassel et al. 2018).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

"Sphagnum diabolicum and S. divinum have wider niches (than S. medium and S. magniae) and can occur in open areas, mire margins, or in adjacent forests. At sites where we have observed both S. diabolicum and S. divinum, the former tends to occur out in the open mires and S. divinum is more common in the surrounding forests. Exceptions to these patterns do occur, however" (Shaw et al. 2023).
Palustrine Habitats
HERBACEOUS WETLANDFORESTED WETLANDBog/fen
Other Nations (2)
CanadaNNR
ProvinceRankNative
Yukon TerritoryS4Yes
New BrunswickS4Yes
Prince Edward IslandS4Yes
LabradorSNRYes
QuebecSNRYes
AlbertaS4Yes
Island of NewfoundlandSNRYes
Nova ScotiaS4Yes
British ColumbiaS4Yes
SaskatchewanS5Yes
OntarioSUYes
United StatesNNR
ProvinceRankNative
VermontSUYes
New YorkSNRYes
ConnecticutSNRYes
MarylandSNRYes
West VirginiaSNRYes
MaineSNRYes
MinnesotaSNRYes
WisconsinSNRYes
MichiganSNRYes
New HampshireSNRYes
Plant Characteristics
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (2)
Minnesota (2)
AreaForestAcres
Cabin CreekSuperior National Forest6,071
Hegman LakesSuperior National Forest675
References (4)
  1. Brinda, J.C., and J.J. Atwood. 2026. A Synopsis of <i>Sphagnum</i>. The Bryophyte Nomenclator. Online. Available: https://www.bryonames.org/synonymy?search=Sphagnum (accessed 2026).
  2. Buck, W.R. and B. Goffinet. 2024. A new checklist of the mosses of the continental United States and Canada. The Bryologist 127(4): 484-549.
  3. Hassel, K., M.O. Kyrjeeide, N. Yousefi, T. Prestø, H.K. Stenøien, J.A. Shaw, and K.I. Flatberg. 2018. <i>Sphagnum divinum</i> (sp. nov.) and <i>S. medium</i> Limpr. and their relationship to <i>S. magellanicum</i> Brid. Journal of Bryology 40(3):197-222.
  4. Shaw, A.J., M. Nieto-Lugilde, B. Aguero, A.M. Duffy, B.T. Piatkowski, J. Jaramillo-Chico, S.C. Robinson, K. Hassel, K.I. Flatberg, D.J. Weston, S. Schuette, and K.A. Hicks. 2023. <i>Sphagnum diabolicum </i>sp. nov. and <i>S. magniae </i>sp. nov.; morphological variation and taxonomy of the “<i>S. magellanicum </i>complex”. Bryologist 126(1): 69-89.