FTJNAEIA. 



During winter the capsule, covered by the calyptra, is 

 seen projecting from the mouth of the cavity ; in spring 

 (March or April) the seta hitherto only about 3 mm. 

 long suddenly lengthens, breaking through the calyptra 

 and carrying up the capsule ; the wall splits into four 

 valves which roll back through 180 and hang downwards 

 around the top of the seta, exposing the elaterophore which 

 holds together the mass of spores and free elaters for a 

 time ; this mass expands on drying, the elaters performing 

 hygroscopic wriggling movements and thus loosening the 

 spores (see Figs. 75, 76). 



The spores readily germinate if sown on moist tiles, or 

 in Knop culture solution in a moist chamber ; as a rule, 

 the first rhizoid grows from one end of the ovoid mass, 

 while the other end produces the growing-point of the 

 young thallus. 



465. Other Species of Fellia. Pellia calycina, which occurs 

 chiefly in chalky soils, often along with P. epiphylla, is dioecious ; 

 the thallus is usually concave, with raised margins, and is green, 

 the midrib not dark coloured ; the internal cells have no band-like 

 thickenings ; the antheridia are fewer and more sparingly scattered 

 over the male thallus ; the mouth of the archegonial cavity is 

 surrounded by a tubular outgrowth of thallus tissue, which is 

 longer than (and therefore completely encloses) the calyptra ; the 

 capsule has no ring-fibres in the cells ; the spores are smaller, and 

 the free elaters shorter, thicker, and not so contorted ; the elatero- 

 phore consists of about 100 very long slender threads. 



P. Neesiana, which occurs chiefly beside mountain streams, 

 resembles P. epiphylla in the structure of the thallus and of the 

 capsule, but is dioecious, and the outgrowth at the mouth of the 

 archegonial cavity is a short collar instead of a mere scale. 



FlINAKJA. 



466. General Characters. Funaria hygrometrica 

 may be found at almost any time of year in patches, often 

 extensive and yellowish green in colour, on waste ground, 

 soil that has been burnt, old cinder heaps and paths, etc., 

 the plants being sometimes so closely matted together as 

 to be difficult to separate without damage to the lower 

 parts. Cut out portions of the patches, with the soil, and 



