CRYPTOGAMIA. 419 



ponsist of an indefinite number of nearly 

 cylindrical, almost sessile anthers, /I 19O; 

 the fertile llowers of one, rarely more, per- 

 fect pistils, accompanied by several barren 

 pistils, f. 192. Both stamens and pistils are 

 intermixed with numerous succulent jointed 

 threads,/. 1J)1? ^vhich perhaps answer the 

 purpose of a calyx or corolla, as far as pro- 

 tection is concerned. Some few species of 

 moss have the stamens and pistils associated 

 in the same flower, but they are generally 

 separate. Hypnum, Fmgl. Boi. t. 14'i4, 

 1425, has a scaly sheath, or perichcciium, 

 f. 150, at the base of its fruit-stalk, com- 

 posed 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 0^ Splachnum, Eugl. Bot. t, 144, 

 &c., stands on a peculiar fleshy base, called 

 apopJii/siSif. 189 a. 



Micheli m his Genera Plant annn, pub- 

 lished in 1729, tab. 69, has well repre- 

 sented the parts above described, though 



