Identification notes
A showy and scarce species of deep, wet peat; robust, dark-stemmed orange plants are normally straightforward to identify. However, beware confusion with S. fallax forma isoviitae, typically a more slender plant but one that can also be richly pigmented and have dark stems. The basal parts of the branch axes of both species may also be pink-tinged.
Counting fascicle branches can help to eliminate doubt. S. pulchrum always has 4: 2 spreading and 2 pendent. S. fallax forma isoviitae has 4-5 and they are strongly dimorphic, with the pendent branches whitish, slender and appressed to the stem. Also, the branch leaves of S. pulchrum are less than 2.5 times as long as wide whereas S. fallax has leaves more than 2.7 times as long as wide.
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