CRYPTO GAM L4 . 469 



consist of an indefinite number of nearly 

 cylindrical, almost sessile anthers ; the 

 fertile flowers of one, rarely more, perfect 

 pisjtils, accompanied by several barren 

 .•pistils. Both' stamens and pistils are inter- 

 mixed with numerous succulent jointed 

 threads, which perhaps answer the purpose 

 of a calyx or corolla, as far as protection 

 is concerned. Some -few species of moss 

 have the stamens and pistils associated in 

 the same flower, but they are generally 

 separate. Hypnum, Engl. Hot. t. 1424, 

 1425, has a peculiar scaly sheath, or 

 periclicEtium^ at the base of its fruit-stalk, 

 composed of leaves very different from the 

 foliage of the plant. This is considered as 

 a sort of calyx, see p. 251, and as such is 

 allowed to enter into the generic charac- 

 ter ; but there is some reason to esteem it 

 rather of the nature- of bracteas. The 

 capsule of Splochnum, Engl. Bot. t. 144, 

 &c, stands on a peculiar fleshy base, called 

 apophysis. 



Micheli in his Genera Flantar?nn, pub- 

 lished in 1729, tab. 5.9, has well repre- 

 sented the parts above described, though 



