28 BEITISH MOSSES. 



known as aerial rhizoids ; sometimes bulbs are found 

 on the stem, and from these buds and bulbs fresh Moss 

 plants arise. A yet more direct mode of propagation may 

 exist, viz., the direct production of a Moss plant from a 

 Moss plant ; whether, in this case, a bud is first formed or 

 not I do not know, though I should suspect the affirmative. 

 This curious mode of reproduction is shown in Fig. 16, 

 which depicts a plant of Sphagnum cuspidatum, on the ends 

 of the loose leaves of which (a, a) are seen numerous 

 young plants directly arising and alike in all things but 

 size to the parent plant. 



The last-mentioned modes of reproduction are epitomized 

 in the last two columns of table B. 



There is one reflection which must almost have forced 

 itself on every reader in considering this sketch of the 

 development of Mosses, and of the economies of Nature 

 in the process. The one object of her solicitude is the 

 Moss plant whatever else be left out, this is always 

 present : Nature may strike off the spore, she may do 

 without the gemma, she may avoid the protonema, but do 

 whatever she may she always produces the Moss plant, the 

 vegetable growth with its stem and its leaves. To the 

 production of this all else is subordinate ; it is the one 

 thing needful. 



On the other hand, the one thing which Nature seems 

 desirous to avoid is the sexual reproduction by the concur- 

 rence of the two organs of the archegones and the antherids. 

 This is found only in the one mode of growth ; every other 

 kind of reproduction by gemma, by protonema, by bud, all 

 of course leave out the whole sporophytic generation. 



