Sphagnum (lat. Sphagnum) is a marsh plant, a genus of moss (usually whitish in color), from which peat is formed; peat moss.

Includes 320 species; There are 42 species in the USSR. Mainly bog mosses, growing in dense dense clusters forming large cushions or continuous carpets on sphagnum bogs; S. are less common in humid forests. Erect (10-20 cm high) soft stem with fascicle-shaped branches and single-layer leaves of S. contain a large number of dead aquiferous (hyaline) cells with pores that easily absorb water, which determines the high moisture capacity of mosses and contributes to the rapid development of raised bogs in places where these mosses appear. The stems of S. die off annually in the lower part (the growth of the stem is continued by the apical branches), forming peat. Distributed mainly in the tundra and forest zones of the Northern Hemisphere; in the Southern Hemisphere they are found high in the mountains, less often on the plains of the temperate zone.

Fossilized remains of protosphagnum mosses have been found in sediments of the early Permian period.
More than 400 species of mosses are common in Russia, of which sphagnum has the greatest ecological and economic importance.

Structure
Sphagnum - perennial with a strongly branching stem, which can be quite dense in some types of sphagnum, and soft, porous in others. The branches are arranged on the stem in a spiral in clusters, the distance between which decreases closer to the apex, and they form a shaggy head (capitulum). The small light green leaves covering the stem and branches are composed of two types of cells that are clearly visible under a microscope. The narrow green cells in which photosynthesis occurs are connected at the ends and form a network structure in which the movement of organic substances occurs. Between them there are large transparent dead cells, of which only shells remain. The stem is also covered on the outside with these cells. It is the abundance of dead reservoir cells that allows sphagnum to retain a supply of water for a long time and feed living cells with it. Moreover, this supply is replenished: reservoir cells with holes draw in and condense water vapor from the surrounding air.

Sphagnum does not have rhizoids (thin threads consisting of a single row of cells), with which other mosses (for example, cuckoo flax) strengthen themselves in the soil and absorb water and minerals from it. It absorbs water over its entire surface.

Properties

Mosses and lichens are plants that do not have a circulatory system. They obtain moisture from precipitation or the atmosphere using osmotic pressure. This also means that they simultaneously absorb all substances contained in the environment, including harmful ones, without having mechanisms to get rid of them. Therefore, mosses and lichens are excellent indicators of the state of the environment.

There are vast areas in Europe where once polluted mosses have completely disappeared. Accumulating mineral substances supplied with sediments, bryophytes, decomposing at the end of their life cycle, release them to the underlying soil along with their biomass. Therefore, they are vital to the health of the forest.

Sphagnum mosses are capable of increasing the acidity of their environment by releasing hydrogen ions into the water.

Most important feature sphagnum acquired over millions of years of evolution is its ability to absorb and retain from 12 to 20 parts by weight of water per part of dry weight (depending on the biological type of sphagnum), as well as its bactericidal properties.

Researchers from the Department of Analytical Chemistry of the Belarusian state university studied chemical composition and absorption properties of white moss - sphagnum. They isolated from it a large set of substances with bactericidal and antifungal properties and confirmed its high absorbency.

Biologically active substances were extracted from the plant using various solvents: distilled water, ethanol, butanol, ether and chloroform. Distilled water turned out to be the best solvent for extracting substances. Researchers isolated six phenolic acids from sphagnum (isochlorogenic, fumaric, caffeic, chlorogenic, pyrocatechol, fedulic) and six substances from the coumarin class (esculetin, esculin, umbelliferone, scopoletin, coumarin, herniarin). These substances had a pronounced bactericidal effect; they had a particularly strong effect on cultures of staphylococcus and streptococcus. Sphagnum extracts have also proven to be detrimental to fungal infections. Scientists have suggested that sphagnum owes its antifungal effect primarily to coumarins.

According to available data, sphagnum itself is not susceptible to any diseases.

Reproduction
Sphagnum can reproduce both by spores and vegetatively.

The number of spores in a sporophyte can be from 20,000 to 200,000 depending on the type of moss, and on square meter swamps - approximately 15 million. Sporophyte releases spores in July. The capsule seems to explode in dry, warm weather, and the spores are carried by the wind to various distances, since they have different size, 20-50 microns. Another mechanism for transferring spores is by water flow or splashes from raindrops. In the latter case, the transfer distance does not exceed ten centimeters.

Large spores have a larger supply nutrients and therefore the best chances to wait for the right conditions. According to the results of experiments, 15-30% of sphagnum spores retained the ability to develop after 13 years of storage in the refrigerator, and it is the ability to form a bank of spores in the environment that explains the fact that sphagnum colonized almost all swampy, nutrient-poor spaces of the northern forests.

Reproduction by spores is the main one during the dispersal of sphagnum over long distances - new or damaged by fire or economic activity plots. For a plant to form from a spore, it must fall on suitable soil– wet peat. It is better if this soil is rich in phosphorus (plant residues or animal droppings). In general, the likelihood of a favorable combination of circumstances is small, but sphagnum has a lot of time.

Another mechanism for the spread of sphagnum is vegetative, by sections of the stem or branches. This mechanism is effective at short distances.

In swamps, sphagnum papillosum and sphagnum magellanicum have the maximum productivity in terms of biomass, however, other, less demanding, types of sphagnum are the most common.

Habitats

The main habitat of sphagnum moss in Russia is swamps, occupying approximately a fifth of its territory.
The surface of the moss turf is very picturesque: only sphagnum heads of various shades are visible on it, reminiscent of the patterns of a Persian carpet.

In sphagnum, the processes of growth and decomposition occur simultaneously. The top grows, stretching upward by 1-3 cm per year, and the lower underwater part dies and eventually turns into peat, so the stem gradually sinks down. However, due to the constant accumulation of peat (up to 1 cm per year in the upper layers), the surface of the bog slowly rises - so-called raised bogs are formed, in which there are usually no bogs, and the water level is 10-20 cm below the surface of the sphagnum turf.
In a tuft of moss pulled from the turf, three zones can be distinguished. In the upper zone, up to five centimeters thick, sphagnum is alive and green, although it can have many shades, from yellowish to red (this color appears more often in cold weather). Sphagnum moss is never dark green. Further, at a depth of 5–10 centimeters, living cells with chlorophyll gradually die off, but empty cells remain. This zone has a smooth transition from light green to light yellow. Even deeper, usually below the water level, the sphagnum begins to decompose and its color turns light brown.

The dying lower parts of sphagnum mosses form multi-meter deposits of peat. In the upper layers there is a gradual decomposition of organic substances, the lower ones are compacted under the pressure of the upper layers - at a depth of several meters, one year already corresponds to a layer several millimeters thick, and the age of the deep layers is several thousand years (for old swamps in the Vologda region - 8000 years at a depth of 2 m, 12,000 years at a depth of 4 m). As a result of the process of gradual compaction and modification of peat during this period, deposits of brown coal were formed.

The ability of sphagnum to form peat is determined by the following main factors:
1. Exceptional ability to retain water, which ensures saturation with water and prevents oxygen from reaching organic deposits, slowing down their decomposition;
2. Low nutrient content, which further slows down decomposition;
3. The ability to create an acidic environment that prevents the activity of most microorganisms; and probably
4. Content of natural antibiotics (sphagnum acids).

Swamps play a vital role in nature, being a natural reservoir and filter for rainwater, purifying it and feeding aquifers and rivers. The vegetation of the swamps, primarily sphagnum, actively absorbs carbon dioxide and methane released during the decomposition of peat, as well as other substances - it is not without reason that sphagnum is a bioindicator of environmental pollution.

In medieval Europe, peat was actively extracted as fuel, which led to the disappearance of most bogs. The economic use of the few remaining wetlands is strictly regulated, and some are declared national reserves, to which access is limited. Tourists explore these last islands of untouched nature, moving along wooden flooring. The importance of sphagnum bogs as an ecological, recreational and educational resource is only now beginning to be truly understood.

Sphagnum moss can grow in the forest together with other mosses, for example, cuckoo flax. If conditions are favorable to it, it gradually forms a moist turf, under which the soil becomes waterlogged. On such soil, trees grow poorly, the forest degenerates, giving way even more to sphagnum, and gradually becomes swampy. In the absence of mosses, the soil, on the contrary, dries out and is subject to erosion by streams of water, which has nowhere to be absorbed. The mechanisms for maintaining balance in the forest are quite delicate and are easily disrupted as a result of climate change and human economic activity.

Application of sphagnum
Sphagnum has long been one of the most useful to people wild plants. It was widely used for wall insulation; in the peasant farms of the North, semi-decomposed sphagnum from the light brown layer lying in the swamps above the peat was used instead of straw as bedding in livestock stalls, mainly because of its excellent absorbency. The resulting mixture of manure and sphagnum was an excellent fertilizer. The introduction of industrial technologies has displaced this valuable but relatively expensive material from agriculture.

On the fronts of World War I, sphagnum was widely used as a dressing material, which saved many lives. In terms of absorbency, it is 2-6 times superior to cotton wool, but the main advantage is that it distributes it evenly in all directions, and only after the entire area is saturated does the discharge appear on the surface. Therefore, the dressing is changed less frequently and the patient is provided with peace of mind. This is especially important in front-line conditions, when medical staff are overloaded. If we remember the bactericidal properties of sphagnum, the benefits become undeniable. Wounds with sphagnum dressings heal faster and the percentage of complications is significantly reduced due to the content of many complex organic compounds that prevent suppuration.

Although many guidelines recommend sterilizing sphagnum moss (in extreme conditions- calcination on heated stones), in emergency cases it can be used without this. Sphagnum is an excellent material for providing first aid for fractures - wrapped in moss before applying splints, the limbs are better fixed and do not become numb. There are not many microorganisms against which sphagnum is powerless. You should not rely on it to bandage ulcers caused by leprosy. Fortunately, this is a rare disease.

At the end of World War II, a whole industry arose in the British Isles for the production of dressings from sphagnum moss, mined in Scotland, Ireland, Wales and Devon. For ease of transportation, part of the sphagnum was produced in the form of pressed sheets, placed in gauze shells with a large margin in size to provide space for its swelling. Sheet sphagnum was pressed at a plant in Scotland at the same hydraulic press, where shell shells were pressed on another shift.

Dressing materials based on sphagnum were widely used by our partisans, and now it is definitely mentioned in manuals for survival in extreme conditions.
Currently, sphagnum is again used in modern dressings, mainly thanks to Germany, where its valuable qualities were completely accidentally rediscovered in the early eighties: dressings are highly absorbent, breathable, soft and comfortable.

However, despite the fact that the introduction of sphagnum into modern medicine looks like an innovation, previous generations knew it very well healing properties. Chronicle evidence has been preserved that warriors applied bandages made of moss and soft grass to their wounds. Since time immemorial, moss has been used in folk medicine and the life of the peoples of the North. According to an ancient author, “Lapland mothers put moss in the cradles, which they change morning and evening, thanks to which the child remains remarkably dry, comfortable and warm.”
Currently, the main consumer of sphagnum in the world is plant growing and floriculture, primarily in the USA, EU and Japan. Large quantities of dry sphagnum moss are imported by these countries for growing orchids, preparing soil mixtures, floristry and making a wide range of moss supports and hanging baskets.

Others interesting applications sphagnum moss become biofilters. Sphagnum with a low degree of decomposition is a valuable raw material for the production of particularly effective sorbents.

In view of the many possible uses of sphagnum in Canada and the European Union, technologies are being developed for its cultivation as a renewable biological resource, including to replace peat in agricultural technology, the reserves of which are close to exhaustion.

Blank
The main suppliers of sphagnum to the world market are Chile, New Zealand, Australia and Canada. Fresh sphagnum is harvested in Germany and Sweden for the needs of local floriculture, and is also exported to other EU countries, mainly to the Netherlands, a country with a developed flower industry. Short distances, significant and regular consumption make it economically acceptable to transport wet moss, while saving on drying and packaging.

In the conditions of the Vologda region, sphagnum is harvested from late April to mid-June and from late July to mid-September. Spring harvesting is complicated high level melt water and may be completely impossible. In mid-June, the period of sphagnum vegetation and maximum activity of blood-sucking insects begins, which significantly complicates work in the swamp. The main harvesting is carried out in August-September, subject to dry and relatively warm weather. Rainy autumn can disrupt the workpiece due to the impossibility of drying in humid air. Therefore, the quantity harvested may vary significantly from year to year.

Harvesting sites, as a rule, are remote from populated areas and roads; more precisely, the proximity of swamps is unfavorable for living and road construction. However, this contributes to the ecological purity of the swamps. With all the diversity and abundance natural resources in the Vologda region there are only a few swamps that, due to a combination of factors, are suitable for harvesting moss.

Harvesting sphagnum is done mainly by hand. For harvesting, places where moss is the desired type as free as possible from plant impurities (swamp areas far from the forest). This increases the labor intensity of harvesting, since the moss from the swamp has to be removed further. Wet moss is heavy and must be lightly wrung out before being carried. Strong squeezing does not reduce moisture capacity and can be used when harvesting for medical and hygienic purposes, however, for decorative applications, moss should be collected as carefully as possible.

Moss is collected selectively, in “trenches” 20-30 cm wide with the same spaces between them, left untouched. This allows the moss to gradually recover in the collection areas. Repeated harvesting in such an area is possible only after 7-10 years. To speed up recovery, crushed upper parts of the moss are scattered on the surface of the peat exposed as a result of moss collection.

Unfortunately not currently Vehicle allowing cargo to be removed directly from procurement sites. The harvesters themselves have to remove the moss from the swamp. Wet moss in bags is accumulated on the site in the swamp forest, from where it is transported to the processing site (for this, equipment rented from logging companies is usually used). At the processing site, the moss is laid out on mesh trays, where the sun and wind remove excess moisture from it. At the same time, possible impurities (needles, bark scales, leaves, marsh plants) are removed from the moss. Drying moss is a fairly lengthy process precisely because of its famous accumulating ability. The use of artificial heating is associated with the difficulty of ensuring uniform drying and the risk of drying out the moss, as a result of which it becomes brittle and easily grinds into dust.

Dried and sorted moss is light and is placed in large bales in which it is transported to the packaging area. There it is packaged for wholesale and retail sales, and also serves as raw material for decorative products, moss supports and bedding.

Interesting Facts

The world's sphagnum and sphagnum peat stores more carbon than any other plant species.
Sphagnum peat is used as a flavoring agent in Scotch whiskey.
There are sphagnum bogs in the world, the water in which is more acidic than lemon juice.
Sphagnum fiber and fabric made from this fiber are used as industrial wiping and absorbent material, and sorbents are produced from peat moss to eliminate the consequences of environmental disasters. These sorbents, unlike moss, almost do not absorb water, but absorb organic substances well.
In many European cities, containers of moss can be seen hanging on bridges to monitor air pollution. Americans prefer to use complex automatic stations for monitoring, however, bryophytes do the same job much more reliably, but no less efficiently.
Phalaenopsis orchids are exported from Taiwan (the largest supplier of these plants) to the United States rooted in sphagnum moss, in accordance with special agreements.
A detergent and disinfectant based on sphagnum moss extract has been developed in Australia. The effectiveness of this product, according to the manufacturer, meets the sanitary requirements for hospitals with complete safety for use on any surface.
Peat bogs occupy over 150 million hectares in our country - more than in any other country in the world. Wood alcohol can be obtained from peat and sphagnum moss. Alcohol is a promising fuel with an octane number of more than 100 for engines internal combustion.

Sphagnum Vologda
Sphagnum moss, harvested in the Vologda region, grows in raised bogs located far from the industrial regions of Russia and other countries. Moss is harvested in compliance with environmental standards, and measures are taken to restore it at the collection sites. We try to constantly improve the quality of the moss supplied by searching best places preparation and application of more advanced processing technologies.

SPHAGNUM

Sphagnum is a large genus of plants, including over 200 species of mosses, similar in structure and ecology.

Taxonomy and names

Sphagnum belongs to higher, or, as they are also called, leafy plants. This division is rather arbitrary, but characterizes moss as a plant with differentiated organs. Sphagnum belongs to the Bryophytes, or Bryophytes, division, the most primitive division of modern higher plants.

The order Sphagnales differs from green mosses in a number of anatomical, morphological and biological characteristics. It includes only one family - Sphagnaceae (Shagnaceae) and the only genus Shagnum, which unites about 350 species (according to other data 320). The photo shows bog sphagnum (Shagnum palustre).

Synonymous names for sphagnum:

White moss - comes from the white or light green color of some species; because of white sphagnum moss is sometimes confused with certain types of lichens.
peat moss - due to the plant’s ability to form peat bogs;
sphagnum

Area and place in biocenoses

The main distribution of sphagnum mosses is in the tundra and forest zones of the Northern Hemisphere: in the northern and middle parts of the forest zone, taiga, tundra, forest-tundra, in Siberia, on Far East and the Caucasus.

In the Southern Hemisphere, sphagnum moss is less common, growing mainly in mountainous areas. Although sphagnum is a typical Holarctic plant, the largest species diversity This genus is found in South America.

Ecosystems where sphagnum mosses grow:
raised bogs (also called sphagnum bogs);
swampy coniferous or mixed forests;
forest-tundra zone with a predominance of coniferous trees;
wet meadows with poor drainage and stagnant water;
river valleys with swampy banks, here on pine forest terraces the habitat of sphagnum can extend far to the south, right up to the steppe zone;
mountainous regions (alpine and subalpine belt).

Morphological features

All types of sphagnum have morphological features inherent only to mosses - they have no roots. But sphagnum has its own character traits, distinguishing it from green mosses.

Contrary to the often used name “ white moss» Most types of sphagnum are green, brown or reddish in color.

Sphagnum is clearly differentiated into stem and leaves. Branched stems, caulidia, grow vertically, reaching a height of 20 cm. Densely growing sphagnum stems form pads or tufts. Sphagnum moss grows only in the upper part, and the lower part gradually dies off, forming peat.

Feature sphagnum - the absence in adult plants of rhizoids that replace moss roots. In moss sprouting from a spore, rhizoids are formed, but soon die along with the lower part of the sphagnum.

The structure of the sphagnum stem is simple: there is a core in the center, the inner layer consists of elongated cells with thickened walls (prosenchyma), and the outside of the stem is covered with epidermal cells. Sphagnum multilayered epidermis is called hyaloderma. This layer consists of dead, empty, transparent cells that have pores. Cells are always filled with water and dissolved mineral components; they play the role of conductive tissue.

Thanks to hyalodermal cells and water-bearing leaf cells, sphagnum has the property of being hygroscopic. Dry moss can increase its mass thirty times when placed in water.

At the end of each branch, the leaves are collected in a bunch - this is a feature of sphagnum mosses.

Sphagnum leaves, or phyllidia, are of two types - stem and branch. The branch leaves are smaller than the stem leaves and are arranged like tiles: they overlap one another.

The leaves of sphagnum mosses consist of only one layer of cells. Their difference from the leaves of green mosses is that sphagnum does not have a central leaf vein.

Leaf cells are divided into living and dead. This is associated with different cellular functions. Living (assimilating) cells contain chlorophyll; they are narrow, worm-shaped, and long. Dead ones are diamond-shaped and absorb and store water.

Photo: white moss - sphagnum / bog sphagnum

Features of reproduction

Mosses are the only representatives of higher plants in which the gametophyte, that is, the haploid generation, dominates in the development cycle. The diploid generation is a sporophyte, highly reduced and is a spore-bearing capsule on a stalk.

Sphagnum, like all representatives of the Bryophyte department, reproduces with the help of spores and with the help of gametes (sexual reproduction).

The gametophytic generation is what people call sphagnum (stem with leaves). Among hundreds of species of sphagnum there are monoecious and dioecious representatives. Gametes in sphagnum are formed in archegonia and antheridia.

Features of the chemical composition

The composition of sphagnum moss includes:
tannins - thanks to them, moss is stored for hundreds of years without rotting;
sphagnol is a phenolic compound that blocks the development of putrefactive bacteria, playing the role of a natural antiseptic;
polysaccharides (starch, glucose and some cellulose);
terpenes;
proteins and amino acids;
silicon.

Species of the genus Sphagnum (Shagnum)

Usually the word “sphagnum” refers to bog sphagnum (Shagnum palustre).
In the swampy pine forests more often grows with. compact (S. compactum) and c. oak forest (S. nemoreum).
In sphagnum bogs, typical species of s. brown (S.fuscun), p. deceptive (S.fallax).
In lowland swamps, in alder forests and swampy groves - p. central (S.centrale), p. blunted (S. obtusum), p. fringed (S.fimbriatum).

Role in biocenoses and economic use

In nature, white mosses are the founders and main plant components of sphagnum bogs. Thanks to sphagnol, white mosses do not rot, but decompose very slowly, creating an acidic environment.

In raised bogs, sphagnum forms low-mineralized but high-calorie peat. The percentage of ash in such peat does not exceed 6%; it is used as fuel, construction and thermal insulation material, chemical raw materials, and also as a substrate (or additive to the substrate) for growing flowers and agricultural crops.

IN agriculture dry sphagnum is also used as bedding for domestic animals. In medicine, peat serves as an antiseptic and dressing material. Sphagnum extracts help in the treatment of rheumatism, intestinal diseases, and infectious skin diseases caused by staphylococci.

The use of organic materials in construction is increasingly being encouraged by both customers and contractors. Considering that today the world ecology is experiencing better times, the use of natural building materials reduces the burden on human health and environment. In addition to the construction of buildings from natural wood, it is possible to use organic materials for their insulation and caulking. We are talking about bog moss or sphagnum, which has been used for such purposes for many centuries.

Sphagnum is peat moss that grows in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Botany knows more than 300 species of this moss, of which more than 40 grow in Russia. The main territory for the natural growth of sphagnum colonies is swampy and forested. Moss forms large carpets, and the very principle of its growth is interesting: having taken root, the moss grows upward in such a way that over time its roots die off and turn into peat, which becomes nutritious soil for sphagnum. The moss itself looks like a small soft stem 15-20 cm in height with bunched branches and small leaves. A special feature of sphagnum bog moss is the content of hyaline cells, which easily absorb water, providing the moss with a high degree of hygroscopicity.

Another characteristic of peat bog moss is the absence of rhizoids (thin threads of roots) that provide nutrition to the moss and absorb moisture. Instead, it absorbs liquid across its entire surface.

The use of bog moss in construction

Applicable swamp moss in almost all spheres of human activity - medicine, gardening, agriculture and, as mentioned above, in construction. Its last use is the most interesting, as it allows for very efficient commissioning wooden houses, saunas and log baths, which do not lose their popularity. Sphagnum is used for the caulking process - filling voids and spaces between the crowns of a log house in order to reduce the thermal conductivity of the building as a whole.

Swamp moss for the log house is prepared ahead of time, prerequisite The weather for collecting it is sunny and warm, so if it is necessary to insulate a log house, it is recommended to either start construction immediately after winter, or preserve the house for the period of frost.

Properties of sphagnum

If we talk about the properties of sphagnum, then it seriously outperforms other organic fillers (flax, jute, tow). Swamp moss absorbs well excess moisture, providing the necessary microclimate in the room - in hot weather the air will be fresh, and in rainy weather it will be dry. In addition, it does not rot and prevents the formation of mold and fungi on the wood of the log house, which seriously increases the overall lifespan of the log house. Not susceptible to being pulled away by birds or eaten by insects. It is environmentally friendly and does not require complex and expensive installation equipment.

Moss is placed on the crowns of a log house, but it can also be used for caulking, for example, damaged timber or logs, especially if this is the result of pests or rot. Moss has bactericidal properties, so it is possible to almost completely stop the spread of infection and save the timber as a whole. The seams after caulking with sphagnum need to be renewed only occasionally, since the service life of the moss itself is quite long.

Where can you buy this swamp moss in Moscow?

Buying this natural unique cushioning material from us - swamp moss, means further enhancing the ecology in your country log or timber house.

Photo: This type of sphagnum bog moss, packed in polypropylene bags, is offered by our company for sale in Moscow.

Our company's store is located near the Moscow Ring Road. Convenient access for buyers in Moscow and the Moscow region in the eastern direction.

Thematic video:

Sphagnum moss is well known to flower lovers and not only. It is also used in medicine, animal husbandry, and construction. Other names for sphagnum are white moss, peat moss, sphagnum. This plant is involved in maintaining the balance of the forest ecosystem. It is from this that peat reserves are formed. Moss has a specific place in the food chain.

Where does sphagnum grow and what does it look like?

White moss lives in swampy forest areas. It can be found in different parts of the globe, but is more common in the northern territories. Translated from Greek, sphagnum sounds like “natural sponge.” This name is no coincidence; it is caused by the hygroscopic properties of the plant. Compared to other mosses, sphagnum has a much lighter color.

This moss has no roots. As sphagnum dies over time, it turns into peat. Rotting processes do not affect it due to the antibacterial properties inherent in this plant. Some people don’t know why sphagnum is called white moss, but the whole point is that when the plant dries, it turns white. During the growth of moss, low, erect shoots are formed, which form a dense cushion not exceeding 5 cm. The plant in the description is represented by several varieties. For example, protruding sphagnum forms taller and looser clumps.

Sphagnum does not have a single stem, but consists of phyllidia and caulidia, which absorb mineral salts and water, thus receiving nutrition. The role of rhizoids is performed by young sections of the stem and leaves. Over time, their suction function is lost, and they only help the marsh moss to stay in the substrate. Spores ripen in special boxes that form at the ends of the upper branches.

If you look at the structure of sphagnum under a microscope, its leaves consist of 2 types of cells. Green and living ones contain chloroplasts, which are involved in photosynthesis. Dead cells are large and colorless formations. Their role is to retain large volumes of moisture. The shoots of the plant have an openwork pattern and give an airy appearance sphagnum During the rainy season, moss absorbs water and then gradually releases it into the environment, thus maintaining water balance ecosystems.

Reproduction of "natural sponge"

Scientists have long established how sphagnum reproduces. Reproduction occurs through spores and vegetatively. The rate of reproduction of bog sphagnum largely depends on the composition of the soil. The “sponge” spreads most quickly when wet grassy areas with low soil acidity, near trees, near swamps. The most productive way is propagation by spores:

Mechanism vegetative propagation effective only over short distances. In this case, the moss reproduces in sections of the stem.

Areas of use

“Natural sponge” is widely used in various economic fields. In some places, sphagnum moss is collected on an industrial scale. However, it is often prepared for personal needs. It is interesting to know where sphagnum moss can be useful and what it is used for:

To collect raw materials yourself, you can go to the nearest forest with wetlands, where it will not be difficult to find white moss. The process of collecting and subsequent storage of “natural sponge” is also not particularly difficult.

How to collect and store

Soft forest moss does not require the use of any special devices during the collection process. It is collected with bare hands or wearing gloves. An adult can easily pull moss out of the soil. After collection, the sphagnum must be squeezed out to remove excess moisture and laid out in the sun to dry. If you plan to use the plant for decorative purposes, do not squeeze it out and dry it for a shorter time.

When collecting, it is better not to pull out the plant completely, but to cut off the upper part of the pillow with scissors. Then the remaining moss in the soil will continue to grow, producing new branches, and it will gradually recover. If the plant is intended to be used as a substrate, it must be doused with boiling water to kill the insects living in it.

It is better not to dry sphagnum moss in special household dryers, as in this case it will dry unevenly. The collected raw materials can be stored in the freezer.

Question 1. What are rhizoids?

Rhizoids are thread-like formations of one or more single-row cells; serve to attach to the substrate and absorb water and nutrients from it. Found in mosses, lichens, some algae and fungi.

Question 2. Why are algae classified as lower plants?

Algae belong to lower plants, because they have no roots, no stems, no leaves.

Question 3. What is a spore?

Spores are microscopic rudiments of lower and higher plants, having different origins and serving for their reproduction and (or) preservation in the absence of favorable conditions. In biology, the concept of “spore” is divided into:

* bacterial spores that serve to wait out unfavorable conditions;

* spores of plants, sporozoans and fungi used for reproduction.

Laboratory work No. 10. The structure of moss.

1. Consider a moss plant. Determine its features external structure, find the stem and leaves.

The stem is erect and not branched. The length of the stem is 12 cm, but can reach 30-40 cm. The stems are densely covered with leaves. At the top there is a box with spores. At the bottom of the stem there are outgrowths - rhizoids.

2. Determine the shape, location, size and color of the leaves. Examine the leaf under a microscope and sketch it.

The leaves are concave, dark green, and have a petiole that wraps around the stem. Each leaf on its upper surface has assimilation plates and a large main vein. The leaf looks like a thick needle and like miniature flax plants. Lower leaves on the stem they develop in the form of scales.

3. Determine whether the plant has a branched or unbranched stem.

Moss has an unbranched stem.

At the top male plants The genital organs are located in which motile germ cells (gametes) - sperm - develop.

In female plants, at the tops there are genital organs with a female reproductive cell (gamete) - an egg.

On female plants, capsules develop on long stalks, covered with hairy, pointed caps. They resemble a sitting cuckoo. Spores develop in the boxes. As they spill out and germinate, they form new moss plants.

5. Examine the spore box. What is the importance of spores in the life of mosses?

The plant produces numerous spores. As they spill out and germinate, they form new moss plants. From each spore, under favorable conditions, a shoot develops with a short lifespan, which looks like a box (sporangium) on a stalk.

6. Compare the structure of moss with the structure of algae. What are their similarities and differences?

Differences: algae do not have roots; their body is represented by a thallus. Mosses develop rhizoids. Algae live only in aquatic environments, mosses live only in humid environments. Mosses have stems and leaves, but algae do not.

Similarities: cells contain plastids (chloroplasts, chromoplasts, leucoplasts), so they can carry out photosynthesis. They grow unlimitedly throughout life. Motionless.

7. Write down your answers to the Questions.

Conclusion: mosses are more developed than algae. They may no longer be in water, but in a humid environment. Stems and leaves are already appearing.

Question 1. Why are mosses called higher spore plants?

Since the body of mosses is divided into stems and leaves, and they reproduce by spores, they are classified as higher spore plants.

Question 2. What is the structure of cuckoo flax?

Its slender brownish stems are covered with small dark green leaves and look like miniature flax plants.

Cuckoo flax has male and female plants. At the tops of male plants there are genital organs in which motile sex cells (gametes) develop - sperm (from the Greek words “sperm” - seed, “zoon” - living creature and “eidos” - species). In female plants, at the tops there are genital organs with a female reproductive cell (gamete) - an egg.

On female plants, capsules develop on long stalks, covered with hairy, pointed caps. They resemble a sitting cuckoo. Hence the name of the moss - cuckoo flax. Spores develop in the boxes. As they spill out and germinate, they form new moss plants.

Question 3. How is sphagnum different from cuckoo flax?

Kukushkin flax - green moss, sphagnum - light green moss, peat. Cuckoo flax has rhizoids, sphagnum does not. The stem of cuckoo flax does not branch, but sphagnum has branches of three types; there are no dead cells in the leaves of cuckoo flax, but sphagnum has a large number of them, these are air-bearing cells capable of absorbing moisture. The spore capsules of cuckoo flax have a hairy cap and elongated shape, in sphagnum they are capless and round. Cuckoo flax has male and female plants, while sphagnum flax has bisexual plants. The capsules with spores in cuckoo flax are located on the tops of female plants one at a time, and in sphagnum there are 3-5.

Question 4. How is moss different from algae?

Mosses are more complexly organized than algae. Among algae there is a large group of unicellular organisms, all mosses are multicellular organisms. Most algae live in an aquatic environment, most mosses live on land, but with a high percentage of humidity. The body of moss is differentiated into organs; only in the most developed algae can something similar to tissue be observed. Mosses have external differences between male and female individuals, between sexual and asexual generations. In algae, all individuals of the same species are the same. Mosses cannot reproduce vegetatively, but algae can. Mosses have stems and leaves like everyone else higher plants, and in algae thallus.

Question 5. What is the importance of mosses in nature and human life?

Mosses, settling in meadows and forests, cover the soil with a continuous carpet, impeding the flow of air. This leads to acidification and waterlogging of soils.

Leafy mosses, especially sphagnum mosses, cover swamps with a continuous carpet and, when they die, form peat, which is widely used by humans. Peat is used as fuel, fertilizer and as raw material for industry. Wood alcohol, carbolic acid, plastics, insulating tapes, resins and many other valuable materials are obtained from peat. Some animals eat moss.

Think

Why don't even the largest mosses reach sizes larger than 80 cm?

Mosses are not tall because the places where they grow have very “poor” soil. Frosts and strong winds - quite unfavourable conditions for existence. Mosses do not have a conducting system and, as a result, have limited height growth.

Quests for the curious

1. Examine sphagnum moss leaves under a microscope. Note the structural features of the two types of cells of which they are composed.

There are two types of cells present in leaf cells. Narrow green cells in which photosynthesis occurs (there is chlorophyll) are connected at the ends and form a network structure in which the movement of organic substances occurs. Between them there are large transparent dead cells, of which only the shells remain (they contain water).

2. Place some riccia in a jar with moist soil. Cover the jar with glass and place in a warm, bright place. Make sure the soil is constantly moist. Watch what happens to the riccia.

Riccia will begin to develop because... favorable conditions (from humid to warm air, Sveta). Floating Riccia does not have rhizoids, but on damp soil it can form them.

If you grow Riccia in water, then if the temperature is lower than 20°C, the growth of Riccia slows down, but the appearance remains attractive. You also need to know that soft water is considered optimal for this plant, the hardness of which should not exceed 15 units, but if this indicator is above 8, this already negatively affects growth. The permissible pH level is 4-8.