Types of Mosses

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Sphagnum
Sphagnum is a genus of mosses, the spore case of which is an urn with a smooth rim, closed by a lid that is shed explosively. A number of species, commonly called peat moss, occur. The leaf tissue has many empty cells that store water. Floating masses of this moss are colonized by other plants, and a bog results. As these plants die, they turn into peat in the acid bog water. Both the living moss and the peat absorb water well and are frequently used as soil conditioners.

Scientific classification: The genus Sphagnum makes up the family Sphagnaceae.

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