FACTOID # 101: The United States has the world's highest marriage rate - as well as the world's highest divorce rate.
 
 Home   Encyclopedia   Statistics   Countries A-Z   Flags   Maps   Education   Forum   FAQ   About 
 
WHAT'S NEW
RECENT ARTICLES
More Recent Articles »
 

FACTS & STATISTICS    Simple view

  1. Select countries to view: (hold down Control key and click to select several)

     

     

    Compare:

     

     

  1. Select fact or statistic: (* = graphable)

     

     

     

  2. (OPTIONAL) Compare to statistic: (both need to be graphable)

     

     

     

  3. View result as:

     

       
(OR) SEARCH ALL encyclopedia, stats & forums:   

Encyclopedia > Sphagnaceae
?
Peat moss
a clump of Sphagnum, peat moss
a clump of Sphagnum, peat moss
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Bryophyta
Class: Bryopsida
Subclass: Sphagnidae
Order: Sphagnales
Family: Sphagnaceae
Genus: Sphagnum
See text.

Sphagnum is a genus of mosses commonly called peat moss, due to its prevalence in peat bogs. Members of this genus can hold large quantities of water inside their cells; some species can hold up to 20 times their dry weight in water, which is why peat moss is commonly sold as a soil amendment. Peat moss can acidify its surroundings by taking up cations such as calcium and magnesium and releasing hydrogen ions. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1735x1126, 345 KB) Beschreibung Desription: Sphagnum fallax (Klinggr. ... Scientific classification or biological classification is how biologists group and categorize extinct and living species of organisms (as opposed to folk taxonomy). ... Divisions Green algae land plants (embryophytes) non-vascular embryophytes Hepatophyta - liverworts Anthocerophyta - hornworts Bryophyta - mosses vascular plants (tracheophytes) seedless vascular plants Lycopodiophyta - clubmosses Equisetophyta - horsetails Pteridophyta - true ferns Psilotophyta - whisk ferns Ophioglossophyta - adderstongue ferns seed plants (spermatophytes) †Pteridospermatophyta - seed ferns Pinophyta - conifers Cycadophyta - cycads Ginkgophyta - ginkgo Gnetophyta - gnetae Magnoliophyta - flowering... Subclasses Andreaeidae Sphagnidae Tetraphidae Polytrichidae Buxbaumiidae Bryidae Archidiidae Moss on a rock Mosses belong to the non-vascular plants. ... This is an article about the plant. ... Species See text Sphagnum is a genus of mosses commonly called peat moss due to its prevalence in peat bogs. ... In biology, a species is the basic unit of biodiversity. ... In biology, a genus (plural genera) is a taxonomic grouping. ... Subclasses Sphagnidae Andreaeidae Tetraphidae Polytrichidae Archidiidae Buxbaumiidae Bryidae Moss gametophyte generation plants with a single sporophyte. ... Peat in Lewis, Scotland Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter. ... Virgin boreal acid bogs at Browns Lake Bog, Ohio A bog is a wetland type that accumulates peat, a deposit of dead plant material. ... Soil is material capable of supporting plant life. ... It has been suggested that strong acid be merged into this article or section. ... An ion is an atom or group of atoms with a net electric charge. ... General Name, Symbol, Number calcium, Ca, 20 Chemical series alkaline earth metals Group, Period, Block 2, 4, s Appearance silvery white Atomic mass 40. ... General Name, Symbol, Number magnesium, Mg, 12 Chemical series alkaline earth metals Group, Period, Block 2, 3, s Appearance silvery white Atomic mass 24. ... General Name, Symbol, Number hydrogen, H, 1 Chemical series nonmetals Group, Period, Block 1, 1, s Appearance colorless Atomic mass 1. ...


Individual peat moss plants consist of a main stem, with tightly arranged clusters of branch fascicles usually consisting of 2-3 spreading branches and 2-4 hanging branches. The branches are covered by ovate to lanceolate leaves called branch leaves. The top of the plant, or capitulum, has compact clusters of young branches. Along the stem are scattered leaves of various shape, named stem leaves; the shape varies according to species. The leaves consist of two kinds of cell: small, green, living cells (chlorophyllose cells); and large, clear, structural, dead cells (hyaline cells). The latter have a large water-holding capacity. In botany, a leaf is an above-ground plant organ specialized for photosynthesis. ...


Spores are released from specialized black, shiny capsules located at the tips of thin stalks. Sphagnum species also reproduce by fragmentation. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...


Peat moss can be distinguished from other moss species by its unique branch clusters. The plant and stem color, the shape of the branch and stem leaves, and the shape of the green cells are all characteristics used to identify peat moss to species.


Geographic distribution

Common sundew in a peat moss cushion
Common sundew in a peat moss cushion

Peat mosses occur mainly in the Northern Hemisphere where different species dominate the bottom layer of peat bogs and moist tundra areas. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1280x960, 783 KB) Beschreibung/ Description Bleichmoospolster (Sphagnum spec. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1280x960, 783 KB) Beschreibung/ Description Bleichmoospolster (Sphagnum spec. ... Binomial name Drosera rotundifolia Linnaeus Drosera rotundifolia (the common sundew or round-leaved sundew) is a species of sundew, a carnivorous plant often found in boggy and marshy locations. ... Insert non-formatted text here The Northern Hemisphere is the half of a planets surface (or celestial sphere) that is north of the equator (the word hemisphere literally means half ball). On the Earth, the Northern Hemisphere contains most of the land and population. ... In physical geography, tundra is an area where the tree growth is hindered by low temperatures and short growing seasons. ...


The northernmost populations of peat moss lie in the archipelago of Svalbard, arctic Norway at 81° N. New Zealand, Tasmania and southernmost Chile and Peru house the largest peat moss areas in the Southern Hemisphere, but containing comparatively few species. Many species are reported from mountainous, subtropical Brazil, but uncertainty exists regarding the specific status of many of them. Emblems: ? (please edit) Motto: Ubertas et Fidelitas (Fertility and Faithfulness) Slogan or Nickname: The Apple Isle Other Australian states and territories Capital Hobart Government Governor Premier Const. ... Southern Hemisphere The Southern Hemisphere is the half of a planets surface (or celestial sphere) that is south of the equator (the word hemisphere literally means half ball). On Earth it contains four continents (part of Africa, Oceania, most of South America, and Antarctica) and four oceans (South Atlantic...


Uses

Sphagnum moss is used as a soil amendment, packing material, absorbent, and fuel. Historically it has been used as bandage material because of its acidic, antibacterial quality and as a replacement for diapers. Soil is material capable of supporting plant life. ... Absorption has a number of meanings: In physics, absorption is a process in which particles of some sort encounter another material and are taken up by or even disappear in it. ... For the workstation, see SGI Fuel. ... Theres also a song called Bandages by the American alternative rock group Hot Hot Heat which appears on the 2002 album Make Up the Breakdown. ... An antiseptic is a substance that kills or prevents the growth of bacteria on the external surfaces of the body. ... Baby diapers are often imprinted with child-friendly designs. ...

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
Sphagnum

  Results from FactBites:
 
Acadia National Park: Species Listing Data for Plots, Part 3 (2415 words)
Magellan's sphagnum Sphagnaceae False SS False 0 N False 23.87 130 ACAD.130 7 SPPA71 Sphagnum papillosum Lindb.
Magellan's sphagnum Sphagnaceae False SS False 0 N False 77.06 131 ACAD.131 6 SPPA70 Sphagnum palustre L. prairie sphagnum Sphagnaceae False SS False 0 N False 0.06 131 ACAD.131 7 SPPA71 Sphagnum papillosum Lindb.
Magellan's sphagnum Sphagnaceae False SS False 0 N False 55.37 132 ACAD.132 7 SPPA70 Sphagnum palustre L. prairie sphagnum Sphagnaceae False SS False 0 N False 0.18 132 ACAD.132 8 SPPA71 Sphagnum papillosum Lindb.
Sphagnaceae (51 words)
[ Sphaerosepalaceae ] [ Sphagnaceae ] [ Sphenocleaceae ]
Individual specimen entries are published in the sample database supplied with The Compleat Botanica for species or varieties of this supra-generic taxon.
For a description of the methodology followed in establishing this hierarchy see the note Nomenclature used in The Compleat Botanica.
  More results at FactBites »


 

COMMENTARY     


Share your thoughts, questions and commentary here
Your name
Your comments
Please enter the 5-letter protection code

Want to know more?
Search encyclopedia, statistics and forums:

 


Lesson Plans | Student Area | Student FAQ | Reviews | Press Releases |  Feeds | Contact
The Wikipedia article included on this page is licensed under the GFDL.
Images may be subject to relevant owners' copyright.
All other elements are (c) copyright NationMaster.com 2003-5. All Rights Reserved.
Usage implies agreement with terms.