CHAPTER XIV. 



MOSS ALLIES. 



"Ah life, I breathe thee in the breeze, 

 I feel thee bounding in my veins, 

 I see thee in these stretching trees, 



These flowers, these still rocks' mossy stains." 



Bryant. 



HERE is a group of plants closely connected 

 with the mosses, and often mistaken for them, 

 called Liverworts (Hepaticae). These plants 

 have either leafy branches or fronds, seeds affixed to 

 spiral threads, and are propagated by buds, as well as by 

 the seed. One large family and four small ones are con- 

 tained in this Hepaticae order. The true Liverworts 

 (Jungermannise) bear their seed in round or oval capsules, 

 which burst into four valves when the seed is ripe, the 

 empty capsules remaining like brown stars or crosses 

 upon the plant. These capsules are situated upon longer 

 or shorter footstalks, of such fair and delicate structure, 

 as closely to resemble spun glass. During the early stage 

 of formation, the capsule is contained in a transparent 

 veil, or wrapper, situated on the stem, and surrounded 

 by calyx leaves ; this veil opens after awhile, and the 

 round head rises from it, the footstalk lengthening day by 

 day, till the valves open and the seeds are emitted. 



