356 PRACTICAL BOTANY 



for a few days. The surface of the soil will soon be seen 

 to be overgrown by numerous fine green filaments. 

 Having carefully removed some of these with a needle, 

 and having washed the soil from them, mount them in 

 water, and examine them under a high power. Note 



i. The dark-coloured exospore, which may be found 

 still attached to the filaments after they have attained 

 a considerable length. 



ii. The fine filamentous protonema resulting from 

 out-growth of the endospore : observe especially the 

 septa, which are often oblique ; the branches, usually 

 arising immediately below a septum : the various 

 development of these branches, either 



a. As relatively thin filaments with brown cell- walls, 

 and no chlorophyll : these are the rhizoids, and they 

 penetrate the soil. 



b. As relatively thick filaments, with colourless cell- 

 walls, and chlorophyll : these constitute the true 

 protonema. 



c. As solid buds, which are usually situated at the 

 base of one of the branches such as a or I : in these 

 solid buds of various ages may be traced the successive 

 stages of development of the moss-plant, which is 

 thus produced as a lateral bud on the protonema. 



Cultures of protonema, showing all the most important char- 

 acters above noted, may be obtained at any time of year by 

 cutting fine sods of Funaria, inverting them under a bell-glass, 

 and growing them in moist air and at a moderate temperature 

 for two or three weeks. In the case of Funaria the protonema 

 may under these circumstances be induced to form terminal 

 unicellular gemmae, which are easily detached from the parent 

 protonema, and by germinating reproduce the plant in a vegetative 

 manner. 



