1 66 Plants and their Ways i^t South Africa 



CRYPTOGAMS, OR SPORE-BEARING PLANTS. 



Note. — The words Cryptogam, referring to the fact that the fruiting 

 parts are hidden, and Phaenogam, to signify that the parts are showy, 

 were coined before microscopes had revealed much that was "hidden" in 

 Cryptogams as well as in Phaenogams. The words may still stand to 

 distinguish those which do not bear seed from the seed-bearing plants. 



While Cryptogams are as numerous as seed-bearing plants, 

 and are of great interest and importance, they are, in many 

 cases, so small and so unfamiliar to those for whom this book 

 is intended, that they can be but briefly mentioned. 



Alg^e. — Most of the green floating scum on ponds, which 

 is sometimes called " Frog spittle," are Algae. Others are 

 found on damp walls, on stones, or moist earth. All the sea- 

 weeds are Algae. These plants may be but single cells, long 

 threads or filaments of cells, or masses of cells. The filaments 

 may break apart, and so form new plants, or the cell contents 

 may round off and form spores. The spores of pond scums 

 are preserved in the dVied mud during the dry months, and 

 when the rains come they grow into new plants. A microscope 

 is necessary to see how delicately beautiful Algae are. What 

 a lot of beauty on the earth is never seen ! Algae absorb into 

 their living substance all kinds of decaying animal and vegetable 

 matter, and help to keep pools fresh and sweet. 



Liverworts are often flattened green plants, growing in 

 moist kloofs and other damp, shady spots. One of the most 

 familiar liverworts is Marchantia. It has a flat, leaf-like, 

 forked thallus growing close to the soil. On the under side 

 are thread-like rhizoids, which serve the purpose of roots. 

 On the thallus are little cups, containing small green bodies. 

 They are buds which grow from the bottom of the cups. They 

 become loosened, and are washed out to other places, where 

 they form new plants. Umbrella-like bodies are often to be 

 found growing up from the thallus. These stalks are of two 

 kinds. At the top of some are stars of nine or more rays. 

 Others have round scalloped tops. Sunken in them are club- 

 shaped bodies called antheridia {ant her- like). They contain 

 many little cells, which escape when the antheridia are^ripe, 



