202 DR. S. O. LINDBERG ON ZOOPSIS. 
ledonous plants; e. g. Polytrichum, Dawsonia, &e., bear in their 
general appearance a great resemblance to some Dianelle, Cordy- 
line, Dracene, and Yucce, or to some Bromeliacez. 
The transition group up towards Liverworts is Sphagnacee, 
which are distinct from Musci veri by the prothallium, the absence 
of roots on the full-grown plant, the structure of the stem, the fas- 
cicled branches, the difference between the stem- and branch-leaves, 
all composed of two different kinds of cells, the long-stipitate and 
globular antheridia situated in long catkins, the branched para- 
physes, the half-globular sporal sac separating the columella from 
the lid, the dimorphous spores (but I must confess that I have 
never been able to find more than one form!), and by the never 
synoicous inflorescence. And in fact this order approaches to 
Hepatice by the structure of the stem, the elongate male catkins, 
and the form of the antheridia, the absence of a ring, as also by 
the incrassate cuticula of the spores. Among Bryinee the Peat- 
mosses seem to have a somewhat analogous place to that of the 
Conifere among the seed-plants, by their habitat especially in 
the colder regions (where they grow in enormous masses and form 
extensive moss-woods fit for fuel), living best many together, the 
straight simple stem increasing at the top, the branches fascicled 
as the leaves are in many Conifers, and by copious pores piercing 
their whole texture. 
The latter alliance (Musci) of Bryinee may perhaps be divided 
in the usual way into Acrocarpi and Pleurocarpi. 
Of all Mosses, I think Polytrichacee are the highest, according 
to the following important characters. They are nearly all diœ- 
cious; the habit reminds us very much of some Liliacee ; the stem, 
as in Polytrichum commune, shows well-developed diffused fascicles 
of cambiiform cells ; the leaves have a long vaginate base and a 
long lamina, on the upperside covered by copious vertical lamellze 
enclosing chlorophyl; the nerve is the most complicated and 
highest-developed of all, as also they possess the best-evolved fruit 
and peristomium with its appendages, the peculiarly hairy calyptra ; 
their antheridia are the largest of all, with the parapbyses di- 
stinctly passing into male bracts; the androecium is in the middle 
perforated by a new male branch, and so repeatedly every year, or; 
much more seldom, by a female branch. The Andreeacea 1 must 
consider the lowest group of Grimmiales (by some very few cha- 
racters pointing to the Liverworts), and perhaps also the lowest 
of all forms composing the Musci acrocarpi. 
