100 



THE WOODLANDS. 



contain within them the spores, mixed with thread-like 

 filaments called elaters. These elaters are subject to 

 the influences of moisture and dryness, being formed 

 of spirals, which uncoil or coil under hygrometric 

 conditions. Their function is 

 probably to aid in the dispersion 

 of the spores. 



Such as are found growing on 

 the bark of trees creep along close 

 to the surface, are very much 

 branched, have very thin, delicate 

 leaves, and are not of such lively 

 green as the mosses, but often 

 purplish, olive, and scarcely con- 

 spicuous when dry. A little ex- 

 perience will soon enable* one to 

 distinguish them from the mosses, 

 even in a barren state, but when 

 the capsules are present there will 

 be no difficulty, for the habit of 

 splitting into four valves is so de- 

 cided a feature that it will deter- 

 mine the question at once. 



There are some of the terrestrial 

 species occasionally found on the 

 ground in woods, but in damp 

 situations, for most of the species 

 are great lovers of moisture. The 

 very singular Marchantia is not a 

 sylvan plant, or we should be compelled to advert to 

 it at some length. The same may be said of the 

 forms known as Riccia and Anthoceros. 



JUNGERMANNIA. 



