Sphagnum perichaetiale Hampe

Plants ± moderate-sized, compact and stiff-stemmed; forming dense to somewhat loose low cushions in often seasonally dry depressions. Stems brown; superficial cortical layer with spiral reinforcing fibrils faint to obvious, 1-3 pores per cell, comb-fibrils lacking on interior wall. Stem leaves to 1.1 × 0.7 mm, commonly hemiisophyllous; hyaline cells non-ornamented, mostly 1-2-septate. Branches short and blunt at distal end, leaves loosely spreading. Branch fascicles with 2 spreading and 1-2 pendent branches. Branch stems with hyaline cells non-ornamented, no or weak funnel-like projection of end walls of cortical cells, cortical cells with one large pore per cell on superficial wall. Branch leaves ovate, to 2.2 × 1.1 mm; ovate, hyaline cells non-ornamented, on proximal half of convex surface with small ringed pores or pseudopores in groups of three where the corners join and pseudopores along the commissures; chlorophyllous cells narrowly rectangular, lenticular to narrowly trapezoidal in transverse section; exposed equally on both surfaces or more broadly on concave surface; end walls not thickened. Sexual condition dioicous. Capsule with numerous pseudostomata. Spores 25-39 µm; surface smooth to irregularly and finely papillose; indistinct Y-mark on distal surface; proximal laesura more than 0.6 spore radius.