532 LIFE-HISTORIES 
Finally, in a considerable variety of ways means are provided for 
scattering the spores as far as possible and under the most favorable 
conditions for giving the new plants a good fair start. 
Bryophyta are distinguished by having archegonia on lobed or pseudo- 
leafy gametophytes which bear sporophytes lacking true roots, stems, 
and leaves. 
Fic. 357.—Adder-tongue, A, and grape-fern, B (Ophioglossum vulgatum 
and Botrychium Lunaria, Adder-tongue Family, Ophioglossacee). 
Sporophytes showing roots (w), stem (st), leaf-stalk (bs), point (x) at 
which leaves branch to form a foliage-blade (6) and a spore-bearing 
division (f). Two-thirds natural size. (Sachs.)—Not very common 
but widely distributed in mostly open ground. 
192. The ferns (Class Filicine). Our most primitive 
ferns are represented by adder-tongues (Ophioglossum) and 
grape-ferns (Botrychium, Fig. 357). 
Unfortunately their life-histories are not yet fully known owing 
to peculiar difficulties in tracing the germination of the spores. 
The gametophyte is subterranean (Fig. 358) and at least when 
mature it is saprophytic. Except for its lack of chlorophyll it is 
not a little like the gametophyte of Riccia. The gametophyte of 
