Mosses and Lichens 



tiny erect veils are borne on pedicels and are enclosed in the 

 leaves at their base; when mature they split irregularly and 

 transversely for the emission of the spores, which are small, 

 somewhat globular, minutely granulous and brown. 



There are fourteen species known in all, four of them in North 

 America. 



Spore. 



Spore -case. 



Spore-case 

 split open to 

 show columella 

 of spores. 



VeU. 



S. muticuin. 



Leaf -cells. 



Sphaerangium muticum, Schimp. Individual plants are 

 more or less separated. 



Habit and habitat. On bare clay or sandy soil. 



Name. The specific name muti- 

 cum, blunt, refers to the apex of 

 the spore-case. 



Plants (gametophyte). Like 

 yellow-brown buds j of an inch 

 high. 



Leaves. The lower and middle 

 oval and long taper-pointed; apex 

 recurved, with a short sharp point; 

 vein passing beyond the apex ; the 

 upper two or three, twice as large 

 as the lower; apex irregularly toothed. 



Habit of flowering. Male and female flowers on the same 

 plant (monoicous). 



Veil (calyptra). Very small, erect, conical, with a long beak. 



Spore-case. Orange, spherical, immersed. 



Pedicel. Very short. 



Lid (operculum). None. 



Teeth (peristome). None. 



Spores. Mature in winter and early spring. 



Distribution. Europe, Africa, and North America. 



134 



Spore-case split- 

 ting irregularl y and 

 emitting spores. 



Sfheerangium Schimferanum. 



