68 MOSSES 



to the gametophyte and receives all its nourishment from it 

 because it does not contain chlorophyll. When the spores 

 have matured the sporophyte dies and disappears while 

 the gametophyte or sexual plant, which is the chlorophyll- 

 bearing plant, continues to live from year to year. 



FIG. 34. Musci. Colony of sporophyte-bearing gametophytes. 



2. Asexual Reproduction. Moss plants reproduce asex- 

 ually by several different methods: 



(a) By spore germination. 



(b) By the formation of gemmae. 



(c) By proliferation. 



(d) By the formation of stolons. 



(a) Spore Germination. Under favorable conditions the 

 spore germinates and forms a small tubular outgrowth called 

 the protonema. The protonema finally grows into a thallus- 

 like structure. From this thallus a typical gametophyte or 

 moss plant develops. 



