STRUCTURE AND REPRODUCTION OF MOSSES. 



349 



in their fructification; which recent discoveries have invested 

 with a new character. What has been commonly regarded in 

 that light, namely, the "capsule" or " urn," borne at the top 

 of a long footstalk, which springs from 

 the centre of a cluster of leaves (Fig. 

 134, A), is not the real fructification, but 

 its product ; for Mosses, like Liverworts, 

 possess both antheridia and pistillidia, 

 although these are by no means con- 

 spicuous. These organs are sometimes 

 found in the same envelope (or peri- 

 gone), sometimes on different parts of 

 the same plants, sometimes only on 

 different individuals ; but in either case, 

 they are usually situated close to the 

 axis, among the bases of the leaves. 

 The antheridia are globular, oval, or 

 elongated bodies (Fig. 135, A) composed 

 of aggregations of cells, of which the 

 exterior form a sort of capsule, whilst 

 the interior are " sperm-cells," each of 

 which, as it comes to maturity, deve- 

 lopes within itself an "antherozoid" (B, 

 c, D) ; and the antherozoids, set free by 



a a a 



Portion of the leaf of Sphag- 

 num; showing the large cells, 

 a, a, a, with spiral fibres and 

 communicating apertures; and 

 the intervening bands, b, 6, b. 

 composed of small elongated 

 cells. 



FIG. 134. 



Structure of Mosses : A, Plant of Funaria hygrometrica, showing /, the leaves, u, the urns sup- 

 ported upon the setoe or footstalks, s, closed by the operculum, o, and covered by the calyptra, c: B, 

 urns of Encalyptra vulgaris, one of them closed and covered with the calyptra, the other open ; w, 

 u, the urns ; o, o, the opercula; c, calyptra; p, peristome; s, s, setae: c, longitudinal section of very 

 young urn of Splachnum ; a, solid tissue forming the lower part of the capsule ; c, columella; Z, locu- 

 lus or space around it for the development of the spores; e. epidermic layer of cells, thickened at 

 the top to form the operculum, o ; p, two intermediate layers, from which the peristome will be formed ; 

 s, inner layer of cells forming the wall of the loculus. 



the rupture of the cells within which they are formed, make 



