Mosses and Lichens 



each rosette made of pale-green leaves with a beaded centre of 

 darker green. Some species have the fertile stems erect with 

 branches growing from near their bases or from creeping stems. 

 The branches are often different from the main stems, being fern- 

 like, prostrate, or curved with rooting tips so as to form succes- 

 sions of miniature arches. 



The great Swedish botanist, Carolus Linnaeus, named the 

 group from the Greek ^viov, an ancient word for "moss." 



M. cuspidatum. Spiny border, single. 



M. hornum. Spiny 

 border, double. 



KI. punctatnm. 

 Border entire. 



M. punctatnm. Apex of leaf 



M . cuspidatum. 

 Spiny border, 

 single. 



M. hornum. Apex of leaf. 



The leaves of all the Mniums are dainty and fresh and their 

 cell-structure and their colour are so delicate that it will repay one 

 to examine them with a hand lens or the low power of a com- 

 pound microscope. The leaves are usually large, rounded, more 

 or less elliptic or tongue-shaped; the margin usually has a dis- 

 tinct border and is frequently spiny toothed; the vein either van- 

 ishes below or extends beyond the apex; the cells are smooth, 

 rounded-hexagonal or rarely elongated. 



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