SECT. I. CONSERVATIVE ORGANS. 213 



side of the stem, in which case they are said to 

 be unilateral, as in Hypnum cupressiforme. In 

 others they diverge at right angles or are reflected, 

 and are arranged so as to point three ways, 

 and sometimes even more, as in Hypnum squar- 

 rosum. 



But besides the leaves proper to the species in 

 general, plants producing barren flowers are fre- 

 quently furnished with a peculiar sort of leaves, 

 which are crowded together at the extremity of the 

 branch or stem, so as to form terminating stars, by 

 expanding in the form of rays, in which case they 

 are larger and more elegant than the rest, as in 

 Polytrichum commune ; or so as to form a sort of 

 terminating bud, in which case they are smaller 

 than the rest, as in Bryum extinct orium and most 

 of the Hypnums. The terminating stars, however, 

 are often proliferous, having a new shoot issuing 

 from the centre of the disk, as in Polytrichum 

 juniperum. 



Such is the general character of the leaves of the 

 Mosses ; but the Euxbaumla aphylla of Schmidel 

 is said to be wholly destitute of leaves, and to be the 

 only known species that is so.* 



* Hedwig. Fund. Hist. Nat. chap. v. 



