4 TASMANIA V BRYOPHYTA, 



synonomy has been reduced to a minimum. Much interest- 

 ing information, as the position of the male element, local 

 and geographical distribution, description of variation, have 

 been left out. 



The botanical student will gain greatly from the study 

 of this group, if only from the accuracy required to success- 

 ully pursue it. The microscope is an absolute necessitv 

 for the discrimination of species. 



It is quite out of the question to avoid technicalities, 

 but they have been reduced as far as consistent. Where 

 reference is made to the shape and size of the cell of a leaf, 

 this is to be understood to refer to the average cell at about 

 the upper third of the organ. 



BRYOPHYTA. 



This is one of the primary groups of plants found to- 

 day on the surface of the earth. It is clearly circumscrib- 

 ed, that is. it is not continuous with any other group. It 

 is developed and expanded along lines peculiarly its own, 

 bringing its existing members to a condition of specialisa- 

 tion that gives little hint whence they were descended. The 

 reproductive organs are constructed upon similar lines to 

 those of the ferns, and ma}^ indicate a like origin far back 

 in the earth's history; or it may have been evolved as a 

 lateral effect from a quite unknown and parallel line- 

 Paleontology has not ^^et helped us. 



The gametophyte is alwavs the preponderating genera- 

 tion ; in only one genus, the «.apropliytic Buxbaumia, is it 

 relatively much reduced. The sporophyte is always de- 

 pendent upon, and appears but a member of the game- 

 tophyte, so much so that it is generally referred to as the 

 fruit. 



Bryophytes are always small, sometim.es minute. Tiiev 

 mostly affect damp localities, some of them preferring par- 

 tial or complete submergence. Their reproduction can only 

 be effected by the aid of continuous water in at least suffi- 

 cient quantity to enable the free swimming spermatozoids 

 to reach the archegonia, a distance which, in some cases, is 

 considerable. 



In all cases bryophytes are homosporous, though in- 

 many instances the plants produced are strictlv unisexual 



