sphagnum

American  

[sfag-nuhm] / ˈsfæg nəm /

noun

1. any soft moss of the genus Sphagnum, occurring chiefly in bogs, used for potting and packing plants, for dressing wounds, etc.

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sphagnum British  

/ ˈsfæɡnəm /

noun

1. Also called: peat moss.   bog moss.  any moss of the genus Sphagnum, of temperate bogs, having leaves capable of holding much water: layers of these mosses decay to form peat

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sphagnum Scientific  

/ sfăg′nəm /

1. See peat moss

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Other Word Forms

• sphagnous adjective

Etymology

Origin of sphagnum

1745–55; < New Latin, alteration of Greek sphágnos a moss

Example Sentences

So it's growing all the time, it's laying down that peat as the sphagnum is kind of decaying.

From BBC • Feb. 8, 2026

To explore potential targets for treatment-shortening strategies, Malhotra and colleagues turned to sphagnum peat bogs.

From Science Daily • Dec. 3, 2024

And in peat bogs, the acid in sphagnum moss puts soft tissue through a tanning process that often preserves brain tissue.

From Science Magazine • Mar. 19, 2024

This is often capped with sphagnum moss, making the ground soft and treacherous.

From National Geographic • Feb. 16, 2024

He bandaged the wound with sphagnum moss and strips of deer hide.

From "Frightful's Mountain" by Jean Craighead George