Kukushkin flax, or polytrichum, is a type of moss that grows in places with high humidity. In Russia, the plant is widespread in the northern and central regions. Moss prefers wetlands with plenty of sunlight.
The structure of cuckoo flax
The dark green stem grows to 12–17 cm in height. The pointed linear-subulate leaves have no petioles. At the bottom of the stem there are rhizoids - thread-like formations that attach to the substrate and conduct nutrients into the plant cells.
Source: Depositphotos
Cuckoo flax moss consists of male and female plants
The primary stem is horizontal to the soil and has no leaves. The secondary stem is branched and covered with leaf blades. Leaves located near the rhizoids develop in the form of scales.
Inside the stem there is a primitive conducting system through which water and dissolved nutrients are delivered to the moss cells.
Elongated plant cells are connected in pairs. Their function is fluid transport and photosynthesis.
Due to its dense texture, cuckoo flax is used as interventional insulation during the construction of residential buildings and outbuildings. Moss has a diuretic, disinfectant and anti-inflammatory effect and is used in folk medicine. The dried plant is stuffed into mattresses and pillows.
Reproduction of cuckoo flax moss
Cuckoo flax moss reproduces asexually and sexually. After flowering, spores are formed and stored in boxes called sporangia. Ripened spores fall onto the substrate. In a favorable climate, they form multicellular filaments, from which gametophytes appear through budding - brown-green perennial shoots with rhizoids. The gametophyte develops into an adult independent organism.
Kukushkin flax - dioecious plant, consisting of male and female shoots. At the end of the male stems, in the center of the leaf rosette, antheridia are formed containing gametes - sperm. Archegonia with mature eggs are formed on female shoots.
Stages of the fertilization process:
- During the rainy season and high waters, sperm separate from the antheridia and attach to the egg. A connection occurs that culminates in the formation of a zygote - a fertilized plant cell.
- After 11–13 months, a box develops from the zygote - a sporogon, located on a long bare stem. Spores develop in it, which are carried by gusts of wind 2–5 m. The spores germinate into a thread - a pre-plant, from which buds are formed that grow into female and male plants.
Breeding cycle cuckoo flax represents the alternation of sexual and asexual reproduction. Moss reproduces vegetatively. Place a layer of substrate with a plant in a moist nutrient medium, and it will grow into a dense, thick cushion-shaped turf.
Kukushkin flax is a perennial green moss that grows in marshy forest areas. The plant reproduces sexually and asexually. Prerequisite for fertilization - a favorable climate.
It has a stem, narrow, spirally arranged leaves; instead of roots, thread-like outgrowths in the lower part of the stem are rhizoids. Its feeding method is the same as that of algae, since moss contains chlorophyll and is green in color.
Sphagnum moss.
The stem is thin, the main shoot is erect, branched. The side shoots are arranged in bunches; at the top of the main stem the shoots are twisted into a head. All branches are densely covered with small leaves. There are no rhizoids; the lower end of the stem, immersed in water, gradually dies. The bark of the sphagnum stem consists of large water-bearing cells. Many such cells are found in the leaves. In this regard, sphagnum absorbs and retains large amounts of water.
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Kukushkin flax |
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1. Where and on what soil does it grow? |
Swamps, acidic, poor nutrients |
Wet places |
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2. What is the color of the stems and leaves? |
The stem is colorless, the leaves are green | |
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3. Are there rhizoids? | ||
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4. Where are the spores located? |
In a box |
In a capsule (sporophyte) on a female plant |
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5. Is the stem branched or not? |
branchy | |
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6. How are the boxes arranged? |
Group at the top |
Alone at the top of a female plant |
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7. How do the leaves differ in their internal structure? |
Have dead aquifer cells |
No aquifer cells |
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8. Economic importance |
Moss propagation
Bryophytes have a characteristic organizational feature: the sexual generation - gametophyte, on which sex cells (gametes) are formed, and asexual - sporophyte, where spores are formed.
Gametophytes of cuckoo flax are dioecious. At the top of male and female plants, sexual reproductive organs develop. After fertilization on female plants, a sporophyte is formed from the zygote - a capsule sitting on a long stalk. The box has a lid, which disappears by the time the spores ripen. The spores spill out and are dispersed by the wind. Under favorable conditions, after a few days or weeks they germinate into a gametophyte. Green mosses are also characterized by vegetative reproduction - by body parts and special buds.
Questions :
– What is the limiting factor for mosses?
– Why are mosses a dead-end branch in evolution?
The importance of sphagnum mossesin nature.
1. Sphagnum absorbs and retains large amounts of water.
2. Sphagnum, growing in dense turf, causes waterlogging of soils.
The appearance of calcium salts in the water or soil on which sphagnum grows has a depressing effect on it. In this regard, liming of soils is a means of combating the growth of sphagnum and waterlogging of soils.
3. Sphagnum plays a role in peat formation
Deep peat is dense and black. The plant particles that formed the peat became charred.
Peat taken from the top layer of a moss bog is loose and brown in color. In such peat, parts of sphagnum are clearly visible. Sphagnum is a peat former.
Additional Information.
Peat - sedimentary rock consisting of incompletely decomposed plant remains. IN natural state it is a relatively homogeneous mass of black or brown color in composition and color. Used as fertilizer, fuel, chemical raw materials.
From 1 ton of absolutely dry peat you can get:
3500–3700 kg of organic fertilizer;
30–35 kg of wax;
200–220 kg of feed yeast;
150–180 kg of activated carbon;
650–700 kg of growth stimulants;
350–500 kg of dyes.
How do people use mosses?
Man began to use mosses in his farming a very long time ago. Already in the Stone Age it was an irreplaceable material at hand, as evidenced by archaeological excavations, the most ancient of which date back to the early Mesolithic (stone knife with a moss lining on the handle). A warehouse of Bronze Age knives and scrapers, tightly packed in a homogeneous mass of mosses, was found in Germany. Analysis showed that it is sphagnum moss Sphagnum palustre, and the rest is green floor moss Hylocomim splendens.
Mosses were used both as soft bedding and as a material for caulking cracks in homes - the latter is widespread in our time. The Scandinavian peoples have moss Fohtinalis antipyretica they caulked cracks in ancient dwellings, believing that it protected against fire.
From cuckoo flax ( Polytrichum commune) due to its flexibility, relatively large size and strength, brooms, ropes and packaging material have long been made.
In terms of its reserves, peat ranks second among fossil fuels after coal. It is used as fuel in natural form(lumpy peat) or after appropriate technological processing.
The primary products of dry distillation of peat (coking and gasification) are valuable chemical raw materials from which artificial wax, paraffin, phenols, acetic and nitric acid and much more are produced.
Peat is also used as a building material for thermal insulation and cladding.
Peat is an excellent material for creating powdered filter and decolorizing carbons. It can be used to filter water and other liquids.
Peat bedding for livestock is made from high-moor peat with a degree of decomposition of no higher than 25%. Due to the high moisture- and gas-absorbing properties of peat, it is softer, more elastic, dry, warm and hygienic compared to straw, and as a result, the health of pets is better.
Peat planting pots are made from high-moor sphagnum peat with a degree of decomposition of 30–45% and a humidity of 75–85% with the addition of manure and superphosphate to increase the nutrient content.
Sphagnum peat and sphagnum are an ancient folk remedy for healing purulent wounds and abscesses. The bactericidal properties of sphagnum moss are due to its content iodine and a special substance - sphagnola, an aromatic hydrocarbon derivative of benzene acid (a powerful antiseptic).
The eighties of the last century marked the beginning of the widespread use of sphagnum in surgery as a dressing material. It was widely used in this capacity during the Great Patriotic War. But subsequently, cotton wool, as more convenient to use, replaced sphagnum from surgical practice.
In the middle of the 20th century, a sphagnol extract was obtained from sphagnum using the extraction method, which kills streptococcal and staphylococcal bacteria.
Thanks to these biochemical features (the release of sphagnol and iodine into the external environment), the water in the sphagnum bog is always ready to be consumed raw, without the risk for travelers to “catch” any disease. The water of many taiga rivers, originating in high sphagnum bogs, is colored brown, which gives it iodine, which is contained in such water in large quantities.
Conclusions.
Swamp is a biocenosis that includes several hundred species of plants and animals.
Swamps supply a lot of oxygen to the atmosphere and play a large role in purifying it from pollutants (the mass of absorbed dust reaches 3 t/ha).
Swamps influence the formation of heat and radiation balance, and influence the water regime of neighboring territories.
Their large surface area increases evaporation, which moderates the climate.
Protection of wetlands is necessary, mainly because they are an integral part of the biosphere, determining the ecological balance of the environment.
Economic development of swamps should be carried out with a careful study of these valuable biogeocenoses.
Insulation wooden house is of mandatory and key importance, since the loss of thermal insulation in its walls can be terrifying, leading to large monetary costs for heating. Accordingly, in order to avoid this, insulation is laid between the crowns of a wooden house, in the role of which Kukushkin flax moss is often used. There is a lot of information about how useful this moss is, what properties it is famous for, where and how it is used. But, at the same time, few people know where cuckoo moss grows.
Actually, this is what we will talk about in this article.
Where does cuckoo flax grow?
Let's consider, first of all, our country. In our country, which occupies almost half of the entire globe, cuckoo flax can be found in almost any area. As a rule, it is most often found in forests and tundra with high humidity, in swamps and even meadows. For those who have never encountered this, we note that this plant is a stem, on the surface of which there are leaves that have sufficient high density. The approximate dimensions of this moss are 30-45 cm (depending on the place where it grows). This structure of the leaves, which have fairly high elasticity, as well as the ability to form turf, are responsible for the ability of this flax to absorb moisture well. This, during operation, allows it to absorb moisture without collapsing, but, on the contrary, quickly drying out at the first rays of the sun. As a rule, this moss is very easy to distinguish by color. Sphagnum, for example, always has light green leaves. Kukushkin flax, in turn, is always green.
Where is cuckoo flax used?
In the northern regions of our country, the tribal population uses cuckoo flax in medicinal purposes. It is applied to an open wound, burn or simple scratch. This is done because moss has antiseptic properties, thanks to which it can disinfect the affected areas. In addition, this natural plant is also used in global medicine. For example, shampoos are made from it, which later position themselves as good remedy against hair loss.
To summarize, we note that the large scope of application of this moss, in those areas where it grows, allows it to be a completely free and publicly available product that can be used not only in the construction industry, but also in everyday life.
But still, the main purpose of cuckoo flax moss is to use it as
Kukushkin flax belongs to the bryophyte plants of the green moss family. At the moment, there are more than 100 varieties of this plant family, which are distributed throughout the globe. Most often, cuckoo flax can be seen in our forests, swamps, mountains, tundra, as well as in the northern part of the country. Besides individual species This family of plants takes an active part in waterlogging and peat formation in the soil.
In our country, as well as other CIS countries, the cultivation of cuckoo flax became known several centuries ago. Already today, about 10 varieties of cuckoo flax grow on the territory of our state. Largest quantity of this plant is concentrated in the forests of the northern and central parts. The most widespread among this family of green mosses is rightfully considered to be common cuckoo flax, or as it is also popularly called - polytrichum vulgaris. It is these plants that represent forests in the taiga, swamps and other types of northern areas.
Growing cuckoo flax
The cultivation of cuckoo flax began in ancient times, when people began to insulate their houses and roofs with bast plant species. And even despite the fact that cuckoo flax is not a direct relative of the bast family (flax, jute, hemp), nevertheless, it has good hygroscopic properties, thanks to which coatings from such a plant can not only perfectly absorb moisture, but also release her at the right moment. It was thanks to cuckoo flax that in old buildings of those times not only ventilation of the grooves was ensured, but also the destruction of the house itself was prevented.
Speaking about the structure of this plant, first of all, I would like to note that cuckoo flax belongs to the perennial leafy family of green mosses. As a rule, growing cuckoo flax at home allows you to get a fairly large plant with pronounced rhizoids in the lower part of the stems. Primary stem of cuckoo flax in normal conditions develops without leaves, but the secondary one can be either simple or branched. The average length of the secondary stem, as a rule, reaches 30-40 cm. All stems along their entire length are densely covered with leaves, which have assimilation plates in the upper part. The leaves, which are located at the bottom of the stem, are presented in the form of scales.
The inner part of the stem is represented as a primitive conductive system, which ensures the movement of water and other useful substances along the plant stem, and by individual cells that perform the function of transporting water.
Cuckoo flax reproduces both asexually and sexually. As for the asexual process of reproduction, it can be noted that the gametophyte of a plant is a special green shoot with leaves. As a result, the plant produces many spores, from which, under normal conditions for growing cuckoo flax, a shoot in the form of a box (sporangium) develops. The structure of this capsule differs from similar spore capsules of other plants of this family, since in the upper part it is closed with a cap and in appearance resembles a linen buckle. The box itself resembles a cuckoo. This is what determines the name of this plant - cuckoo flax.
With the modern pace of life, constant pollution of the external environment, as well as the appalling state of the environment, growing flax is simply necessary. Initially, this is due to the fact that this leads to the accumulation of moisture and also promotes the formation of peat.
TaggedSyn.: common polytrichum, common polytrichum, long moss, cuckoo moss, red moss, king's curls, cuckoo's belly.
Cuckoo flax or common polytrich is a perennial spore plant, a leafy green moss from the family Polytrichaceae. In folk medicine, the plant is endowed with diuretic, laxative and anti-inflammatory properties.
Ask the experts a question
In medicine
Kukushkin flax is not a pharmacopoeial plant and in official medicine is not used, but in folk medicine it is used as a diuretic, laxative, bactericidal and anti-inflammatory agent. Seed infusion cuckoo moss endowed with expectorant, emollient, enveloping, and anti-inflammatory properties.
Contraindications and side effects
Cuckoo flax has no contraindications, but scientists warn that if taken for a long time in large doses, the plant can lead to general poisoning of the body. It is believed that the use of cuckoo flax may contribute to the development of diabetes.
In cosmetology
Infusion of cuckoo flax has a beneficial effect on the hair and scalp. It stimulates hair growth, fights baldness and has antiseborrheic properties.
In gardening
Gardeners use cuckoo flax not only as ornamental plant, but also as a way effective recovery soil acidity with its help.
In other areas
In Rus', kukushkin flax has been used since ancient times as insulation. They were used to lay logs during construction. This moss not only perfectly stored heat and provided air exchange, but also absorbed excess moisture on rainy days and gave it away on dry days. Also, due to its bactericidal properties, cuckoo flax prevented mold from developing, preventing the wood from rotting. Therefore, moss is still used as an inter-crown compound in the construction of log houses, although it has low elasticity compared to the latest materials.
Classification
Kukushkin flax (lat. Polytrichum commune) – a genus of leafy green mosses, perennials from the family Polytrichum (lat. Polytrichum), division mossy (lat. Bryophyta). The genus includes about a hundred species, the most famous of which is cuckoo flax (lat. Polytrichum commune L.). In addition to it, cuckoo hair flax (lat. Polytrichum piliferum Schreb.) and cuckoo juniper flax (lat. Polytrichum juniperum Willd) are often found. In total, 13 species of cuckoo flax grow in Russia.
Botanical description
Kukushkin flax is a green, leafy, perennial moss, quite large for this type of plant. In the lower part of polytrichum there are primitive analogues of roots - rhizoids. Initially, cuckoo flax develops a horizontal primary stem, without leaves. Then a secondary one appears, erect, with narrow and long, dark green leaves arranged in a spiral, covering the entire plant. Each leaf has an assimilation plate and a large main vein. Lower leaves take the form of scales. The secondary stem of cuckoo flax can be either branched or simple.
Polytrich vulgare is a dioecious plant. On some of its shoots antheridia (male genital organs) develop, on others - archegonia (female). Fertilization of cuckoo flax cannot occur without water. Polytrich grows in dense turf and rainwater or abundant dew, flowing down, helps sperm find their way to female eggs. From the fertilized egg, a new plant is obtained - a sporophyte. On the “leg” of cuckoo flax, a capsule grows - a sporangium - a special organ in which plant spores mature. When the spores ripen, the cap falls off the capsule and they are carried away by the wind. Getting into favorable conditions, the spores germinate and begin from a thin thread of the primary stem new life cuckoo flax.
Spreading
Cuckoo flax can be found in the boreal zone of temperate latitudes of the northern hemisphere, as well as in Mexico, on several islands in the Pacific Ocean, including New Zealand, and also in Australia. Common cuckoo flax moss prefers to grow on the outskirts of swamps in coniferous forests. Kukushkin juniper flax prefers pine groves and grows in clearings. Cuckoo hair flax, the shortest of all types of this moss, can be found on dry soil and open spaces.
Regions of distribution on the map of Russia.
Procurement of raw materials
Cuckoo flax can be collected all summer, but for medicinal purposes it is preferable to harvest it at the very end of the season, when the spore seeds ripen. The plant is dried in the shade or in a ventilated area, spread on cloth or paper. Having collected the stems, the seeds are collected from the substrate.
Chemical composition
The chemical composition of cuckoo flax is considered poorly understood. Perhaps this is why the plant is not used in official medicine. It is possible that the expansion scientific knowledge about cuckoo flax will lead to its inclusion in the number of pharmacopoeial plants. In the meantime, it is known that the stems and seeds of cuckoo flax contain essential oil, resinous substances and glycoside.
Pharmacological properties
Medicinal properties cuckoo flax were not a serious subject scientific research, not confirmed by experiments or clinical trials. Because the chemical composition Since the plant has been little studied, based on the available data we can only confidently assert that cuckoo flax can act as a laxative, effectively combating constipation. As a diuretic, the plant can be beneficial for edema, dropsy, and kidney stones.
Use in folk medicine
In folk medicine, infusions and decoctions of cuckoo flax are recommended to be drunk for constipation and kidney stones, for dropsy and edema, for severe cough, bronchitis and pneumonia. Cuckoo flax tea is considered a healing remedy for pain from stomach colic and cholelithiasis. It is recommended to drink this drink to improve the condition of the gastrointestinal tract. In homeopathy, cuckoo flax is used for hemorrhoids, menstrual pain, bronchitis and diarrhea.
Cuckoo flax seeds are brewed as an expectorant and enveloping agent. This decoction can also act as a laxative. Herbalists believe that an infusion of cuckoo flax seeds can help treat nervous diseases, oliguria, gonorrhea and dysmenorrhea. Powder from crushed seeds is used externally as an anti-inflammatory agent.
Historical reference
Cuckoo flax moss received its unusual name for two reasons. Firstly, its elongated stems really look like fiber flax, and secondly, its variegated boxes resemble the speckled wings of a cuckoo. Beneficial features cuckoo flax like construction insulation have been known for a long time. Many Russian monuments wooden architecture It is cuckoo flax that is stored in its crevices. In villages, moss was often used for uterine bleeding. To do this, the plant decoction was boiled, diluted with red wine and drunk, sweetened with honey. This same drink was considered effective means from “stabbing in the chest.”
Literature
1. Zalesova E. N., Petrovskaya O. V. “Complete Russian illustrated dictionary-herbal and flower garden”, published by A.A. Kaspari, St. Petersburg, 1898 - 278 p.
2. " Modern encyclopedia medicinal plants", Compiled by: Vladimir Preobrazhensky, Baro-Press, Moscow, 2001 - 128 p.