THE CLASSIFICATION OF PLANTS 



2147 



THE BRYOPHYTA 



The main classification of the Bryophyta has presented few difficuhies 

 and it is only in detail that the various modern systems differ. Iledwig 

 (Fig. 2061) was the first to propose a 

 general system of classification of the 

 Bryophyta but restricted his detailed 

 study to the Mosses. This method was 

 published in 1801 in his " Species 

 Muscorum". Using the peristome as 

 the most important character, he 

 recognized thirty-five genera of Mosses. 

 This work was followed by that of 

 Brunch, Schimper and Guembel who 

 between 1836 and 1855 published the 

 " Bryologia Europaea". Using veget- 

 ative characters to a greater extent 

 than previously, they recognized some 

 135 genera. With minor modifications 

 this system was adopted by Brotherus 

 in his account of the Mosses in the 

 'Tflanzenfamilien". 



Meanwhile work had been done 

 on the classification of the Liverworts, 

 but the first natural system appeared considerably later than that of the 

 Mosses. It was due to Endlicher and appeared in his " Synopsis Hepati- 

 carum", which was published in 1841. This system was followed by most 

 writers up to 1875 when Lindberg published his " Hepaticae in Hibernia 

 lecta " and proposed a dilTerent system in which the number of main groups 

 was reduced to three. 



In 1893 Schiffner used a somewhat diflterent system in his treatment of 

 the Hepaticae in the " Pflanzenfamilien". The following is a summary of 

 the classification as it appears in Engler's " Syllabus der Pflanzenfamilien " : 



Fig. 2061. — Johannes Hedwig. (After an 

 engravin<4 by Schnorr.) 



I. Hepaticae 



1. Marchantiales 



2. Anthocerotales 



3. Jungermanniales 



II. Musci 



1. Sphagnales 



2. Andreaeales 



3. Bryales 



a. Acrocarpi 

 ^. Pleurocarpi 



Cavers in his papers on " The Interrelationships of the Bryophyta", 

 which appeared in the " New Phytologist " in 191 1, suggested that the 

 terms Musci and Hepaticae should be dropped and that the Bryophyta 

 should be considered merely as a series of orders. He did this because he 

 thought there was a gradual transition from the one to the other group. His 

 system may be summarized as follows: 



