MANUAL OF NATURAL HISTORY. 527 



ductive organs of two kinds, viz., Antheridia 

 and Archegonia ; spore-cases valveless. In- 

 habit damp places all over the world, but are 

 more common in temperate latitudes. 



2. FAMILY. Split-Mosses (Andrseacese). Branching, 



reddish or brown ; leaves imbricated, ribbed 

 or rib-less ; spore-case opening by four equal 

 valves, whose summits are always bound to- 

 gether by the persistent operculum. Found 

 in temperate and cold countries, especially in 

 . bleak and rocky places. 



II. S UB-ORDEE. INOPERCULATE-MOSSES 

 (Hepaticse). 



Operculum wanting ; usually furnished with 

 elaters. 



3. FAMILY. Horsetails (Equisetacese). Stems sim- 



ple or branched j fistular, jointed, siliceous ; 

 branches in whorls, at the articulations of the 

 stem ; leaves represented by the green co- 

 loured branches; stomata arranged longitu- 

 dinally on the cuticle ; spore-cases peltate, 

 opening inwards by a longitudinal fissure ; 

 an elater to every spore. Widely distributed ; 

 occur in lakes, ditches, and rivers. 



4. FAMILY. Scale-Mosses (Jungermanniacese). 



Creeping, moss-like ; leaves imbricated, very 

 cellular, round a central axis, or with the 

 leaves and axis fused into one common leafy 

 expansion ; spores opening by four equal 

 valves, mixed with elaters. Distribution ex- 



