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.
What Did the Ancient Israelites Eat? What Did the Ancient Israelites Eat? What Did the Ancient Israelites Eat? Diet in Biblical Times is a 2008 book by Nathan MacDonald that discusses the foods eaten by Israelites during the time that the Bible was written. MacDonald, a theologian who serves as a lecturer at St Andrews University, used biblical texts as well as archaeological and anthropological evidence in his attempts to determine the diet of the Israelites. MacDonald decided to write the book while writing another book on the symbolism of food in the Hebrew Bible that contained a chapter on the diet of the Israelites. Nathan