The Primitive Mosses 



Plants (gametopbyte) . Dark red or brown, matted, stems \ to 

 5 inches long ; branches of equal height, in close clusters, covered 

 with a felt of red radicles. 



Leaves. Spreading, slightly incurved when dry, pointed, 

 lance-shaped, keeled, smooth, or with tiny projections ; base 

 transparent ; margin entire or slightly serrate and recurved above 

 the base ; vein vanishing below the apex. 



Habit of flowering. Male and female 

 flowers on separate plants (dioicous). 



Veil (calyptra). Split up one side. 



Spore-case. Egg- 

 shaped, oblong, or nearly 

 spherical, thick-walled, 

 chestnut colour, shining, 

 top-shaped when dry and 

 empty. 



Pedicel. to of an 

 inch long. 



Lid (operculum). With 

 a long oblique beak, at base attached to a central column (colu- 

 melld) in the spore-case, by which it is held long after it has 

 split away from the rim. 



Annulus. Two rows of persistent cells. 



Spores. Mature in late summer. 



Distribution. Common in North America, Europe, and Asia. 

 Very abundant in Niagara Falls. 



Genus WEISIA, Hedw. 



The species of this genus are small and 

 slender, growing in tufts or cushions on the 

 ground. The leaves are lance-shaped and 

 twisted when dry, the apex is awl-like and 

 the vein single. 



Lid with 

 columella. 



Spore-case 

 with lid. 



G. curvirostrum. 



Spore-case 

 with lid lif- 

 ted. 



Peristome. 



Portion of peristome. 

 Weisia viridula. 



M5 



Leaves. 



