HANDBOOK OF MOSSES. 



aught else, still these earth mosses, or, Phascei, are worthy of 

 his attention. The plan I adopt with these minuter species 

 is not only to dry some of them with their underlying mud, 

 but also to mount a few specimens of each on the ordinary 

 3in. by lin. slips of glass, in glycerine jelly, for my cabinet, 

 and very pretty objects many of them make when thus pre 

 pared. 



The older botanists placed all the Phascei in the genus 

 Phascum; but modern botanists, seeing that the group was 

 a very heterogeneous one, have split these Phascei into 

 several genera, such *&Pleuridium t Phascum, Spharangium, 

 Ephemerum, Archidium, etc. I shall speak only of those 

 that I have myself found most frequent. 



Besides these I also find in like habitats such mosses 

 as Pottia minutula, Funaria fascicularis, and Tortula un- 

 guiculata. 



The Phascei usually occur in scattered patches, and, being 

 minute, require the constant use of the field lens, and rather 

 close searching in many cases. Taking their general 

 characteristics, they may readily be known by their small 

 bladder-like capsules, usually more or less concealed by the 

 surrounding leaves, the fruit-stalk being very short in most 

 species, and by the absence of a true lid or operculum. 



Pleuridium subulatum is a not unfrequent inhabitant of 

 sandy and marly fields. It may also often be found in great 

 abundance in the cleared spaces of woods, and is in good 

 condition about April ; will be found in yellowish patches, 

 often rather extensive ; the capsule is oval, and immersed 

 in the awl-shaped bristly looking leaves ; the leaves are rigid, 

 and have a broad nerve, which scarcely extends to the tip 

 of the leaf ; the uppermost leaves are longer than the lower 

 ones, and much narrower. 



Phascum cuspidatum is a frequent denizen of sandy 

 fields, and occurs in small scattered light-green patches. 

 The leaves are large for the size of the plant, are concave, 

 oblong lance-shaped, and somewhat keeled, with the margin 

 turned over towards the under side ; the nerve projects 

 beyond the leaf-tip, forming a short cusp-like point ; the 

 capsule is roundish and more or less hidden among the 



