FLOWEELESS PLANTS. 191 



a cap or epigone of the same nature as the perigone 

 of antheridia. But the pistillidia bursts its cap, 

 leaving part of it as a sheath below, and is carried 

 up on a stalk (<$), at the top of which is seen an urn- 

 shaped body of curious structure, called a sporange (e). 



SETA. The stalk of a sporange (d). 



VAGENULE. The collar or sheath at the base of 

 he seta, resulting from the bursting of the epigone. 



CALYPTRA. The cap or hood of a sporange, shown 

 at fj and seen in place at e. 



OPEECULTJM. The lid of the sporange (g\ seen 

 when the calyptra is removed. 



PERISTOME. A single or double fringe of teeth 

 around the mouth of a sporange. It is sometimes 

 altogether absent. These teeth vary very much in 

 number, but are always either four or some multiple 

 of four. 



ANNTJLTJS. An elastic ring sometimes found in 

 the mouth of a sporange. 



SPOEES. The ripened contents of the sporange. 



EXERCISE LXI. 

 Fungi. 



The common mushroom, or toadstool, as children 

 call it, is a well-known example of this group of 

 flowerless plants. It is found everywhere growing 

 upon decaying organic matter. If, in gathering 

 specimens for study, you break them off above the 

 surface of the ground, you will leave the plant itself 



