MUSCI 403 



CLASS IV. 



AN'OPHYTES.* 



Cryptogamous acrogenous plants, composed of cellular tissue only, 

 but with the general type or habit of the superior orders, growing 

 upward by an axis or stem, emitting roofs downward, and usually 

 furnished with distinct leaves (sometimes the stem and foliage con- 

 fluent into a frond). 



ORDER CXXIII. MUS'CL 



Low tufted plants, mostly perennial, -with a stem and distinct (sessile) leaves, pro- 

 ducing spore-cases (or capsules) which usually open by a terminal lid (operculum), 

 and contain simple spores only.^ 



SUBORDER I. BRYA^CEAE. 



Calyptra, circumscissed at base ; fruit terminal, or lateral ; lid opening elastically, 

 or sometimes indehiscent ; orifice of the capsule naked, or more commonly with 

 aperistome; columetta manifest. 



DIVISION I. ACROCAKPI : Pedicel or fruitstalk terminal. 



* For the Mosses and Hepaticae of Chester so far as they are yet known I am 

 indebted to my friend THOMAS P. JAMES, of Philadelphia, an acute and zealous 

 Bryologist, who (as his other engagements permitted,) has diligently explored the 

 ANOPHTTES of our ancient Bailiwick ; and has, morever, prepared and presented to 

 the CJiester County Cabinet of Natural Science, an elegant Collection of those in- 

 teresting little plants. The intelligent reader will perceive that the descriptions 

 are chiefly derived from the Contributions of that eminent Botanist, WILLIAM S. 

 SULIJVANT, Esq. to GRAY'S MANUAL. 



t The reproductive organs of the MOSSES are of two kinds:"!. The sterile flower , 

 consisting of numerous (4 20) minute cylindrical sacs (antheridia), which dis- 

 charge from their apex a mucous fluid filled with oval particles, and then perish. 

 2. The fertile flower, composed of numerous (420) flask-like bodies (pistittidid), 

 each having a membranous covering (calyptra), terminated by a long cylindrical 

 funnel-mouthed tube (style). The ripened pistillidium (seldom more than one in 

 a flower maturing,) becomes the capsule, which is rarely iudehiscent, or splitting 

 by 4 longitudinal slits, but usually opens by a lid (operculum) : beneath the lid, 

 and arising from the mouth of the capsule, are commonly either one or two rows 

 of rigid processes (collectively the peristome), which are always some multiple of 

 4; those of the outer row are called teeth of the inner, cilia. An elastic ring of 

 cells (annules) lies between the rim of the capsules and operculum. The powdery 

 particles filling the capsule are spores. The thread-like stalk (pedicel, or seta,) 

 supporting the capsule is inserted into the elongated torus (vaginula) of the 

 flower. The pedicel continued through the capsule forms the columella; enlarged 

 under the capsule it sometimes forms an apophysis. The calyptra, separating 

 early at its base, is carried up on the apex of the capsule ; if it splits on one side it is 

 hood-shaped or cuculliform, if not, it is mitre-shaped or mitriform. Intermixed 

 with the reproductive organs are cellular jointed filaments (paraphyses). The 

 leaves surrounding the antheridia are called the perigonial leaves, those around 

 the pistillidia or pedicel the perichaetial leaves." GRAY'S Manual. 



