The Endangered (S1) and Threatened (S2) Sphagnum species (Sphagnaceae) for each New England state: a preliminary ranking

Preliminary rarity rankings for all of the Sphagnum species reported for each of the six New England states were determined. Those species having either an Endangered (S1) or a Threatened (S2) rarity ranking are reported here. The rarity ranking system employed was developed by the Nature Conservancy and is based on herbarium specimen data posted on Consortium of Bryophyte Herbaria (CBH) as well some specimens from three herbaria not on CBH. Verification of selected herbarium specimens was done at the Farlow Herbarium (FH) and included collections housed at FH as well as loans from nine other herbaria. The total number of Sphagnum species per state found to have either an endangered (S1) or threatened (S2) state ranking ranges from 7 species for Rhode Island to 18 species for Connecticut. In contrast, the number of historic species (SH) ranges from 1 species for Maine to 14 species for Rhode Island. Based on their respective number of extant sites, 13 Sphagnum species are proposed to be regionally endangered (R1) throughout all of New England (S. annulatum, S. austinii, S. balticum, S. beothuk, S. lindbergii, S. macrophyllum, S. ×mississippiense, S. platyphyllum, S. riparium, S. rubiginosum, S. strictum, S. tenerum, S. trinitense) and one species (S. molle) is regionally historic (RH).