35P Ingham : Sphagna. 



with several of the above colours. On account of the very loose 

 cellular structure, the very narrow chlorophyllose cells, the 

 very large empty cells known as hyaline cells, and the numerous 

 pores, water quickly permeates the whole plant by capillarity. 

 So excellently adapted are they for obtaining water, that 

 they can use the water in the moisture-laden atmosphere 

 above them. They act, indeed, in Nature, as most delicate 

 sponges. 



Under the destructive action of sunlight, and when water is 

 deficient, new growths start forth above. The lower parts of 

 the plant die, and, being very brittle, often break off. 



These plants can endure almost any amount of cold weather. 



On 4th January, 1897, the writer found on Strensall Common 

 a white peat moss in the middle of a blqck of ice. He took the 

 ice home and melted it, the result being a beautiful white 

 plant in excellent condition. 



On the other hand, they are injured by heat, hence there are 

 no peat mosses in the tropics. 



It follows from the above that the natural habitat of these 

 plants is the Temperate and Arctic regions of the Earth. 

 They are recorded as extremely abundant in Siberia. 



Sphagna are sometimes in pure masses, but often heather 

 branches, needles of pine, winged seeds of alder and other 

 impurities, are mixed with the tufts. 



Also other plants are often mixed with them such as the 

 true mosses Aulacomnium palustre and species of Polytvichum. 

 Again, there is a true moss known as Leucobryum glaucum, 

 which is often gathered for a Sphagnum by the uninitiated, 

 but this last has none of the feather-like branches of the 

 Sphagna, but only oblong-like leaves on the main stem. On 

 account of the above impurities, we have places set apart 

 during the present great war to pick over the Sphagnum 

 mosses so as to separate them from the impurities. 



These peat mosses, as we might infer from their wonderful 

 structure, are of great use in Nature, and also in social life. 



I. — In Nature. 



1. Many streams on the hills and on the hill-slopes rise in 

 peat-moss beds. The result is the water flows down gradually, 

 and the supply is kept up. 



2. On moorlands where they are abundant, on account 

 of their capacity for retaining great quantities of water, in 

 time of heavy rains they prevent flooding in the valleys below. 



3. As the new plants grow on the old ones, in time they 

 drain pools and make room for higher plants, such as trees. 



4. Moist peat possesses a powerful antiseptic property, 

 attributed to the presence of gallic acid and tannin ; hence, 

 under peat, in perfect preservation, there are not only ancient 



Naturalist 



