Editing Moss (section)

===Commercial===
[[File:Bioreaktor quer2.jpg|thumb|right|[[Moss bioreactor]] cultivating the moss ''[[Physcomitrella patens]]'']]

There is a substantial market in mosses gathered from the wild. The uses for intact moss are principally in the [[Flower|florist]] trade and for home decoration. Decaying moss in the genus ''Sphagnum'' is also the major component of [[peat]], which is "mined" for use as a [[fuel]], as a [[Horticulture|horticultural]] soil additive, and in smoking [[malt]] in the production of [[Scotch whisky]].

''[[Sphagnum]]'' moss, generally the species ''S. cristatum'' and ''S. subnitens'', is harvested while still growing and is dried out to be used in nurseries and horticulture as a plant growing medium.

Some ''Sphagnum'' mosses can absorb up to 20 times their own weight in water.<ref name=ABGSW>{{Cite web|url=https://www.anbg.gov.au/cryptogams/underworld/panel-10/index.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140217122603/https://www.anbg.gov.au/cryptogams/underworld/panel-10/index.html|url-status=dead|title=The Plant Underworld - Australian Plant Information|first=Parks Australia|last=Australian National Botanic Gardens|archivedate=17 February 2014|website=www.anbg.gov.au}}</ref> In [[World War I]], ''Sphagnum'' mosses were used as first-aid dressings on soldiers' wounds, as these mosses said to absorb liquids three times faster than cotton, retain liquids better, better distribute liquids uniformly throughout themselves, and are cooler, softer, and be less irritating.<ref name=ABGSW/> It is also claimed to have antibacterial properties.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Stalheim|first1=T.|last2=Ballance|first2=S.|last3=Christensen|first3=B. E.|last4=Granum|first4=P. E.|date=2009-03-01|title=Sphagnan – a pectin-like polymer isolated from Sphagnum moss can inhibit the growth of some typical food spoilage and food poisoning bacteria by lowering the pH|journal=Journal of Applied Microbiology|language=en|volume=106|issue=3|pages=967–976|doi=10.1111/j.1365-2672.2008.04057.x|pmid=19187129|s2cid=1545021|issn=1365-2672}}</ref> [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Native Americans]] were one of the peoples to use ''Sphagnum'' for diapers and [[menstrual pad]]s, which is still done in [[Canada]].<ref>{{cite journal | author=Hotson, J. W. | title= Sphagnum Used as Surgical Dressing in Germany during the World War (Concluded) | journal=The Bryologist | pages=89–96 | issue=6 | volume=24 | year=1921 | jstor = 3237483 | doi=10.1639/0007-2745(1921)24[89:suasdi]2.0.co;2}}</ref>

In rural [[United Kingdom|UK]], ''[[Fontinalis antipyretica]]'' was traditionally used to extinguish fires as it could be found in substantial quantities in slow-moving rivers and the moss retained large volumes of water which helped extinguish the flames. This historical use is reflected in its [[Binomial nomenclature|specific]] [[Latin]]/[[Greek language|Greek]] name, which means "against fire".

In [[Mexico]], moss is used as a [[Christmas in Mexico|Christmas]] decoration.

''[[Physcomitrium patens]]'' is increasingly used in [[biotechnology]]. Prominent examples are the identification of moss [[gene]]s
with implications for [[crop]] improvement or human [[health]]<ref>[[Ralf Reski]] and Wolfgang Frank (2005): Moss (''[[Physcomitrella patens]])'' [[functional genomics]] – Gene discovery and tool development with implications for crop plants and human health. Briefings in Functional Genomics and [[Proteomics]] 4, 48–57.</ref> and the safe production of complex [[biopharmaceuticals]] in the moss [[bioreactor]], developed by [[Ralf Reski]] and his co-workers.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Decker |first1=E. L. |last2=Reski |first2=R. |title=Moss bioreactors producing improved biopharmaceuticals |journal=Current Opinion in Biotechnology |date=2007 |volume=18 |issue=5 |pages=393–398 |doi=10.1016/j.copbio.2007.07.012 |pmid=17869503}}</ref>

London installed several structures called "City Trees": moss-filled walls, each of which is claimed to have "the air-cleaning capability of 275 regular trees" by consuming nitrogen oxides and other types of air pollution and producing oxygen.<ref>{{cite web |last=Landon |first=Alex |url=https://secretldn.com/city-trees-london-pollution/ |title=City Trees: London Has New Artificial Trees That Eat Pollution |date=2020-01-07 |website=Secret London |access-date=2020-02-09}}</ref>