THE CLUB MOSSES 109 



has not been found elsewhere in the United 

 Kingdom. 



Pilularia globulifera. In this case the generic 

 name is formed from the Latin word pilula, 

 " a little pill," this being a reference to the 

 curious pill-like spore capsules which the 

 plant produces. The specific name of globulifera 

 is made up from two Latin words globus, " a 

 ball," and fero, " I carry." This is another 

 allusion to the rounded sporangia. The Pill- 

 wort. 



This is a curious little plant with a very 

 slender creeping root-stock. From this are sent 

 down small tufts of roots into the damp soil 

 in which the plant grows. From the upper 

 part of the stem arise the leaves, which are 

 bristle-shaped, two or three inches in length, 

 and of an intensely bright green colour. It 

 is interesting to note that in their young state 

 these leaves uncoil very much in the same 

 manner to be noticed in the Ferns. The spore 

 cases are situated at the point where the leaf 

 arises from the root-stock. Externally these 

 are densely covered with brown hairs, and they 

 are just about the size of a small pea. The 

 sporangia are four-celled, and when the time 

 for the dispersal of the spores arrive, the cases 

 split open. The spores are of two kinds, and 

 both sorts are present in the same sporangia. 

 The large spores are confined to the lower 

 portion of the case, the small ones to the 

 upper part. 



The Pillwort is common in some parts of 

 England, though less so in Scotland and Ireland. 

 It always grows in very damp situations, 

 though it is rarely found submerged, save 

 when this happens as the result of flooding. 

 The Pillwort so often grows mixed up with 



