Bryophyte pesticides. The liverwort, "Plagiochila," produces a chemical that is poisonous to mice. Other bryophytes produce chemicals that are antifeedants which protect them from being eaten by slugs. When "Phythium sphagnum" is sprinkled on the soil of germinating seeds, it inhibits growth of "damping off fungus" which would otherwise kill young seedlings. Commercial Peat is a fuel that is produced from dried bryophytes, typically "sphagnum." Bryophytes antibiotic properties and ability to retain water make them a useful packaging material for vegetables, flowers, and bulbs. Also, because of the antibiotic properties, "sphagnum" was used as a surgical dressing in World War I.
Ford Moss Ford Moss Ford Moss is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), containing a Scheduled Ancient Monument, located south-west of Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, England. The site is managed by the Northumberland Wildlife Trust and gained its SSSI status in 1968, and in 2005 it was designated a Special Area of Conservation. Ford Moss is bound to the south by the high Goatscrag Hill and the west by the Blackchester Hill, both of which are sandstone formations. It is one of two SSSIs located on the Ford & Etal estate which were originally two separate estates combined in 1908 when James Joicey,