Flowerless-Plant Study 



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In early June the mossy knoll shows us the origin of the name pigeon 

 grass or pigeon wheat, for it is then covered with a forest of shining, ruddy, 

 stiff, little stems, each stem bearing on its tip a woolly object about the 



Hair-cap moss. 



1, fruit-bearing moss stem before fertilization; la, the same stem after 

 fruit is developed ; a, where the ovule was before fertilization; b, fruit 

 stem; c, spore-capsule with cap or veil upon it. 2, stem showing the star- 

 like cups; d, the cup in which was developed the pollen which fertilized 

 the ovule at a, this year; e, last year's cup; /. the cup of year before last ; 

 only the leaves from e to d are alive. 3, spore capsule with the cap re- 

 moved, showing the lid 5, the cap or veil removed. 4, spore capsule 

 with lid off and shaking out the spores. 6, starlike cup in which the 

 pollen is developed. 7, leaf of moss; 8, the top of the spore capsule 

 showing the teeth around the edge between which the spores sift out. 

 9, a part of a necklace chain made of the spore capsules and their stems. 



