Mosses and Lichens 



5. rubr-unt. Leaf. 



(geminate), orange-coloured and formed ol two layers, the outer 

 thicker and covered with tiny protuberances. The spores are 

 minute. 



Eight species are 

 known in all, five of 

 them in North America. 



The Red Collar- 

 moss, Splacbnum ru 

 brum, Linn., 1. c. 



Habit and habitat. 

 Chiefly on dung in peat- 

 bogs. 



Name. The specific 

 name, Latin rubrum, red, 

 refers to the colour. 



Plant (gametopbyte) . 

 Living but one year, 

 small, the male plants 

 smaller. 



Leaves. Large, open; 

 apex recurved ; base nar- 

 rowed from an enlarged 

 middle, above more 

 s. rubrum. Tip of spore- abruptly narrowed to a 



case with columella exert- 

 ed and teeth reflexed. long taper-point; mar- 

 gin distinctly serrate from below the middle; 

 leaves of the male plant smaller. 



Habit of flowering. Male and female flowers on separate 

 plants (dioicous). 



Veil (calyptra). Small, conical, slightly split or mostly en- 

 tire at the base, soft and falling early. 



Spore-case. Small, oval and ending abruptly at the summit as 

 if cut off, thin, membranous and dirty-yellow. 



Pedicel (seta). Very long and red, enlarged just below the 

 spore-case to form a purple, bell-shaped or umbrella-like portion 

 (apopbysis). 



Lid. Highly convex. 



Teeth (peristome). Sixteen, large, densely cross-barred, joined 

 in pairs at the base and sometimes at the apex. 



Spores. Small, mature in summer. 



206 



5. rubrum. Veil. 



