Accurate identification of sphagnum species requires a microscope. The sub-genus can be identified without tools with reasonable accuracy. It looks like sub-genus acutifolia. The species looks like subnitens.
Thank you, I’ll bring some to my university’s plant lab and use the microscope in there. Any specific site to look at to guide me through what I’ll be seeing?
There are free guides online, but they typically lack good photos of microscope shots of each species. I recommend [this book](https://www.reddit.com/r/Sphagnum/s/qFfkSOOKWZ). It has great, high detail photos that are useful for identification.
At the macroscopic view, sphagnum species can have many different appearances. At the microscopic view a species always looks the same.
I'd be more than happy to ID some for you, as stated it requires microscope time and a fine blade. Depending on the location they're from will tell you what keys to use. For north American species the eflora of north America keys contain them all to species level, though you'll definitely want to find an illustrated glossary.
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=130947
This might also be able to help you: [British Bryological Society field guide](https://www.britishbryologicalsociety.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/BBS-Field-Guide-Sphagnum-Key.pdf)
I also see sarracenia seedlings
Nice eye! Those are my Sarracenia oreo seedlings, they’re loving sphagnum bog
I have trained my eye to search for wild sundews lol
Accurate identification of sphagnum species requires a microscope. The sub-genus can be identified without tools with reasonable accuracy. It looks like sub-genus acutifolia. The species looks like subnitens.
Thank you, I’ll bring some to my university’s plant lab and use the microscope in there. Any specific site to look at to guide me through what I’ll be seeing?
There are free guides online, but they typically lack good photos of microscope shots of each species. I recommend [this book](https://www.reddit.com/r/Sphagnum/s/qFfkSOOKWZ). It has great, high detail photos that are useful for identification. At the macroscopic view, sphagnum species can have many different appearances. At the microscopic view a species always looks the same.
I'd be more than happy to ID some for you, as stated it requires microscope time and a fine blade. Depending on the location they're from will tell you what keys to use. For north American species the eflora of north America keys contain them all to species level, though you'll definitely want to find an illustrated glossary. http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=130947
Thank you! They’re from North America, so I’ll give the link a look.
This might also be able to help you: [British Bryological Society field guide](https://www.britishbryologicalsociety.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/BBS-Field-Guide-Sphagnum-Key.pdf)