CHAP. III. MOSSES. 225 



remarks, that the smaller are males and the larger females ; 

 which has been supposed to be proved by the experiments of 

 Savi of Pisa. This observer introduced into different vessels, 

 1. the granules; 2. the grains; and, 3. the two intermixed. 

 In the two first nothing germinated ; in the third the grains 

 floated to the surface and developed themselves perfectly. 

 These observations have, however, been repeated by Duver- 

 noy without the same result. And it must be remarked that, 

 if the functions of these grains and granules be what has been 

 attributed to them, the male power of action and the female 

 powers of reception cannot exist till both are discharged from 

 the membranes or involucra, in which they are contained and 

 placed in contact in water. Is it impossible that the granules 

 or supposed male organs should be only grains in an imper- 

 fectly developed condition? 



3. Mosses and AndrceacecB. 



In the structure of these plants neither vessels nor woody 

 tissue are employed; and from henceforward those organs 

 disappear from the structure of all the tribes to be 

 noticed. Their stem consists of elongated cellular tissue, 

 from which arise leaves composed, in like manner, entirely of 

 cellular tissue without woody tissue ; the nerves, as they are 

 called, or, more properly speaking, ribs, which are found in 

 many species, being formed by the approximation of cellules 

 more elongated than those that constitute the principal part 

 of the leaf Tlie leaA-es are usually a simple lamina ; but in 

 Polytrichum and a few others they are furnished with little 

 plates called lamellae, running parallel with the leaf, and ori- 

 ginating from the upper surface. At the summit of some of 

 the branches of many species are seated certain organs, which 

 are called male flowers, but the true nature of which is not 

 understood. They are possibly organs of reproduction of a 

 particular kind, as both Mees and Haller are recorded to have 

 seen them produce young plants. 



Agardh says they have only the form of male organs ; and 

 that they really appear to be gemmules. By Hedvvig they 

 were called spermatocystidia. 



But, whatever may be the nature of these organs, there is 



Q 



