iy8 



HISTORY OF THE VEGETABLE KINGDOM. 



the addition of sugar and iiiUk, hiis been used 

 as a dietetic medicine in cases of decline, and 

 was fancied at one time as a cure for consump- 

 tion. 



Tlie Reindeer moss, "o. 



( lichen rangcferinus. ) 

 Tliis is also a valuable 

 lichen, which grows in 

 great abundance in the 

 north of Europe, espe- 

 cially in Lapland. It 

 constitutes almost the 

 sole winter food of the 

 rein-deer, that useful 

 animal, without which 

 the natives of that ban-en 



region could not exist. Linnsus assures us that 

 this lichen grows so luxuriantly in Lapland, as 

 to be found sometimes a foot in height. The 

 rein-deer are so fond of it, that although it is 

 covered up in winter under a great depth of 

 snow, they will eagerly scratch it up with their 

 feet and antlers. The plant is an exceedingly 

 simple one; yet on it hinges the existence both 

 of the rein-deer and the Laplanders. "Thus," re- 

 marks the great naturalist just mentioned, 

 " things that are often deemed the most insig- 

 nificant and contemptible by ignorant men, are, 

 by the good providence of God, made the means 

 of the greatest blessing to his creatures." 



Cvd-hear, (lichen tartar- 

 eus.) This small lichen 

 grows abundantly in 

 Sweden and Norway, 

 where it is gathered for 

 the purpose of the dyer. 



Many other species of 

 lichen, on being macerated 

 in urine, afford dyes of various tints, chioflj- red 

 and brown. The more remarkable of these are 

 leucanora perella and tartarea, parmelia saxatilis 

 and omphalodes, rocella tinctoria and fusiformis. 



The Hepatic^ are intermediate between the 

 lichens and mosses. They are either spread out 

 in the form of simple lobed membranes, through 

 which runs a middle nerve, which has been con- 

 sidered as a stem; or they are composed of a 

 small ramified stem bearing sessile leaves. The 

 sporules are arranged in various ways, some- 

 times at the surface of the frond, sometimes 

 at the base of the ramifications. As examples 

 of this family we may mention the genera mar- 

 chantia, reccia, blasifl, jungermannia. Their 

 properties are very little kno\vn, and none of 

 them have been applied to any use. 



The M user, or Mosses. These plants, in their 

 general aspect, resemble more the phanerogamic 

 or flowering vegetables, than those we have just 

 treated of. They are consequently a scale higher 

 la the vegetable kingdom, and present the struc- 

 ture of roots, stems, fronds, or an appi'oach to 



81. 



leaves, and more distinct organs of reproduction. 

 They delight in moist and shady places, grow 

 on the ground or the trunks of trees, or on walls 

 and old buildings. Many of them are very 

 minute, yet extremely beautiful; imitating all 

 the ramifications of trees or shrubs. They are 

 most verdant generally in winter, and during 

 moist seasons; and put forth their flowers and 

 various coloured tufts when other plants are 

 inactive or denuded of their charms. 



Though a very numerous famOy, there are 

 few or none of the species directly conducive to 

 the wants or luxuries of man; yet, thej' are 

 doubtless not without their use in the great 

 scheme of nature. In the temperate and northern 

 regions they clothe the hill sides and valleys as 

 with a soft green cai-pet; and by the gi-owth and 

 successive decay of certain species in our marshes, 

 the accumulation of peat soil is formed. 



The Sphagnum palustre, liypnum cuspidatum, 

 and bryum liypjioides, are those plants which 



a. Spha^uiQ palustre ; b. Ilypnum cusfiidatiim. 

 chiefly contribute to the formation of peat moss. 

 These mosses are particularly suited for the 

 accumulation of this peculiar vegetable pro- 

 duct. They grow to the height of five or six 

 inches, when the lower stem begins to decay, 

 and forms a soil from which the upper portion 

 of the plant continues to vegetate. Thus a suc- 

 cessive decay and fresh vegetation of the same 

 stem goes on for many years, till a lai^e accum- 

 ulation of spongy vegetable matter is formed fill- 

 ing up the hoUoAvs between mountains, or ranging 

 over marshy valleys. The formation of peat is 

 peculiar to elevated, moist, and temperate regions. 

 In hot climates dead vegetable matter is almost 

 instantaneously decomposed, or reduced to its 

 elementary principles; but in colder regions a 

 partial decomposition only takes place where 

 much of the woody fibre and many of the 

 original combinations of the vegetable remain. 



