VII THE BR VINE yE 205 



assist in lifting off the operculum as well as removing the 

 spores from the urn. When wet they bend inward, extending 

 into the cavity of the urn. As they dry they straighten out 

 and lift the spores out. The marked hygroscopic movements 

 of the seta also are no doubt connected with the dissemination 

 of the spores. 



The calyptra in the Bryineae is very large and is carried 

 up on the top of the sporogonium in the form of a conspicuous 

 membranaceous cap. As in other forms it is the venter alone 

 that shows secondary growth. In Funaria it increases very 

 much in diameter at the base, where it is widened out like a 

 bell, and far exceeds in diameter the enclosed embryo. Above 

 it is narrow and lies close to the embryo. After a time the 

 embryo growls more rapidly in length than the calyptra, which 

 then is torn away by a circular rent about its base, and is 

 raised on top of the elongating sporogonium. The lower 

 portion remains delicate and nearly colourless, but the upper 

 part has its cells thick-walled and dark brown in colour (Fig. 

 102, C). Tipping the whole is the persistent dark brown neck 

 of the archegonium. 



Classification of the Bryinecz 



The simplest of the Bryineae are the cleistocarpous forms 

 or those in which there is no operculum developed, and in 

 consequence the capsule opens irregularly. If Archidiuvi is 

 removed from this group the simplest form known is 

 Ephemerujn. Here, from a highly-developed filamentous pro- 

 tonema, are produced the extremely reduced gametophores. 

 According to Mliller,^ who has studied the life-history of this 

 eenus, both male and female branches arise from the same 

 protonema, and are only distinguishable by the smaller size 

 of the former. The axis of the branch is scarcely at all 

 elongated, and the leaves therefore appear close together. 

 The sexual organs correspond closely in origin and structure 

 to the other Bryineae. The development of the sporogonium 

 in its early phases is also the same, and the differences only 

 appear at a late stage. The separation of endothecium and 

 amphithecium is apparently exactly the same as in other 

 Bryineae, and from the former is derived the archesporium, 



1 Mtiller (2). 



