ORDER II. 



Musci. Linn. Mosses. 



PLANTS small, evergreen, or rapidly reviving by moisture, 

 simply attached by their roots, nourished by their leaves, which 

 are membranous, simple, sessile ; renovating above, decaying 

 beneath and depositing soil ; growing on earth, trees, stones, and 

 even in fresh water ; preferring temperate climates, exposure to 

 the north and moist situations. The mosses are furnished with 

 roundish stalked vesicles intermixed with jointed filaments in 

 the axils of the leaves or in star-like clusters, called the male 

 organs by Hedwig ; but the fecundation has never been ob- 

 served. They are supplied besides with capsules containing 

 grains which Hedwig, and more lately Mr. James Drummond, 

 have proved to be seeds by their successful experiments of ger- 

 mination. The capsules in a young state numerous, clustered, 

 cylindrical, have with good reason been denominated pistils; 

 usually only one of the cluster swells into a capsule. The 

 swelling of the capsule causes its covering or calyptra to sepa- 

 rate at its base ; it retains its situation, however, until the ma- 

 turity of the seeds, which escape sometimes by the rupture of 

 the capsule, but more commonly by the separation of the 

 suture by which the lid or superior portion of the young cap- 

 sule was fixed. The capsule is furnished with an interior mem- 

 brane to the inner surface of which the seeds are attached. 

 The appearance of young fruit usually overtakes the maturity 

 of the old. The lid falling, displays the mouth of the capsule 

 either naked, or with a single or double peristome or fringe, di- 

 viding into 4, 8, 16, 32 or 64 teeth. 



A 2 



