Peat-Mosses 



spiral or circular thickenings (fibrils) to secure them against 

 collapse. They have lost the cell-contents which were present 

 in a younger stage and are, when dry, filled with air. (2) 

 Smaller cells (ducts), containing active cell-contents and leaf-green. 

 They are narrowly linear and form a net of rhomboidal or hexa- 

 gonal meshes around the large cells. The stem-leaves are distant, 

 obliquely inserted, erect or bent downward, flat or 

 concave, tongue-shaped, oval, inserted at the small 



Apex. 



Bract from male 

 branch. 



Leaf from branch. 



Stem leaf. 



Branch 

 leaf 



Cross section of leaf. 



Leaf from base of 

 pedicel. 



Female 

 branch. 



Male branch 

 (perigonium). 



Sphagnum cymbifolium. 



or large end generally obtuse. The brand-leaves are smaller, 

 round, oval or lance-like, concave or rolled-up lengthwise. Each 

 leaf apex overlaps the base of 

 the next leaf above and every 

 fifth leaf lies in a perpendicular 

 line on the stem, directly over 

 the first leaf counted, that is they 

 are five ranked. 



The veil (calyptra) is a ragged 

 membrane left at the base of the spore-case as the latter 

 grows. 



The spore-cases are chestnut brown, globular, without teeth. 



S. acutifolium, var. rubellum. Cross-sec- 

 tion of leaf showing cells with cell contents 

 and empty cells with perforations. 



