Sphagnum palustre
Blunt-leaved bog-moss
Fran Thomas
Watercolour
Artwork size in cm, 30 x 22
£250.00
Sphagnum palustre is one of the peat-forming bog-mosses found in Scotland. Sphagnum moss has been used for centuries to treat wounds caused in battle. In World War One it began to be harvested on an industrial scale to make dressings and surgical swabs.
It can take in about 20 times it’s own weight in water, making it invaluable in absorbing blood and bodily fluids. This is due to large empty cells which help the plant avoid desiccation. It also has deodorising and antiseptic properties, due to creating a highly acidic environment which is hostile to bacterial growth.
It was harvested mainly by women and children, then dried and put into muslin bags. A large centre in Edinburgh produced one million dressings per month by the end of the war.
Scotland contains internationally important areas of peat bog, with rare flora and fauna. They are also important stores of carbon and must be maintained wet to prevent decomposition of peat and the release of stored carbon.
If you would like to purchase a painting, please get in touch with info@botanicascotia.uk
Please note: Paintings will be on display at the V&A Dundee until the end of July, so a pickup after that date can be arranged.
