Sphagnum ones ("Rigida" and "Squarrosa") has been clarified using molecular phylogenetics. All but two species normally identified as "Sphagnum" reside in one clade; two other species have recently been separated into new families within the Sphagnales reflecting an ancestral relationship with the Tasmanian endemic "Ambuchanania" and long phylogenetic distance to the rest of "Sphagnum". Within main clade of "Sphagnum", phylogenetic distance is relatively short, and molecular dating methods suggest nearly all current "Sphagnum" species are descended from a radiation that occurred just 14 million years ago. "Sphagnum" mosses occur mainly in the Northern Hemisphere in peat bogs, conifer forests, and moist
Sphagnum cuspidatum battlefield to prevent infection. Sphagnum is also used to decorate hanging baskets, as a packing material in the shipping industry, and in some parts of Africa it is even used to pad cushions and mattresses. Since the moss is capable of holding many times its weight in water, it is useful as a potting material for new plants since it provides consistent moisture. It can also be used in conjunction with decaying organic matter as an effective medium for germinating seeds. Some species of Sphagnum moss in general have been used as a fuel source in temperate climates. Sphagnum moss