﻿MOSSES, 
  LIVERWORTS, 
  AND 
  FERNS 
  265 
  

  

  egg, 
  where 
  one 
  of 
  them 
  unites 
  with 
  the 
  egg, 
  thus 
  producing 
  

   an 
  oospore, 
  or 
  sex 
  spore. 
  

  

  The 
  oospore 
  does 
  not 
  have 
  a 
  resting 
  period, 
  as 
  in 
  Vaucheria, 
  

   but 
  begins 
  its 
  growth 
  almost 
  immediately 
  when 
  formed. 
  It 
  

   enlarges, 
  divides 
  into 
  many 
  cells 
  (that 
  is, 
  it 
  grows), 
  and 
  soon 
  

   elongates 
  into 
  a 
  stalk 
  one 
  end 
  of 
  which 
  is 
  attached 
  to 
  the 
  old 
  

  

  D 
  

  

  FIG. 
  204. 
  Reproductive 
  organs 
  of 
  moss 
  

  

  A, 
  an 
  antheridium 
  containing 
  the 
  mother 
  cells 
  (m) 
  of 
  the 
  sperms 
  ; 
  the 
  cap 
  (c) 
  later 
  

   opens 
  to 
  allow 
  exit 
  of 
  sperm 
  mother 
  cells; 
  B, 
  one 
  sperm 
  ; 
  C, 
  a 
  diagram 
  showing 
  

   the 
  relations 
  of 
  antheridia 
  (an) 
  and 
  arehegonia 
  (/), 
  and 
  the 
  leaves 
  (/> 
  on 
  the 
  tip 
  of 
  

   the 
  shoot; 
  />, 
  an 
  archegonium 
  with 
  the 
  egg 
  (e), 
  the 
  neck 
  (n), 
  and 
  the 
  mucilagin- 
  

   ous 
  mass 
  (m) 
  through 
  which 
  the 
  sperms 
  pass 
  to 
  reach 
  the 
  egg. 
  All 
  are 
  the 
  moss 
  

   Atrlchum 
  undulatum. 
  From 
  Bonnier 
  and 
  Sablon 
  

  

  leafy 
  stalk, 
  and 
  the 
  other 
  extends 
  up 
  above 
  the 
  leaves. 
  The 
  

   stalk 
  which 
  grows 
  from 
  the 
  oospore 
  bears 
  chlorophyll. 
  A 
  cap- 
  

   sule 
  is 
  produced 
  at 
  the 
  tip 
  of 
  this 
  new 
  stalk, 
  and 
  spores 
  are 
  

   formed 
  by 
  the 
  division 
  of 
  part 
  of 
  the 
  inner 
  tissues 
  of 
  the 
  cap- 
  

   sule. 
  Since 
  these 
  spores 
  are 
  formed 
  by 
  division 
  of 
  tissues 
  and 
  

   not 
  by 
  union 
  of 
  cells, 
  it 
  is 
  obvious 
  that 
  they 
  are 
  asexual 
  spores. 
  

   When 
  they 
  fall 
  to 
  the 
  ground, 
  they 
  produce 
  protonema 
  again, 
  

   and 
  thus 
  begin 
  another 
  life 
  round 
  of 
  the 
  moss 
  plant. 
  The 
  

  

  