THYME THREAD MOSS 



105 



Open up ripe capsules, and sow the spores as you did the 

 fern spores. In a few days notice the branching green threads, 

 which soon form a felt on the soil. This felt is called the proto- 

 nema. Put some of it on a slide with a drop of water, and look 



FIG. 22. Thyme Thread Moss (Mnium Hornum}. A, female plant 

 with fruit ; B, a leaf magnified ; C, ripe capsule, before opening ; 

 D, capsule throwing off its lid and showing the peristome ; E, 

 outer peristome ; F, inner peristome. 



for the buds, which eventually grow into new moss plants. Keep 

 cultures of protonema going, and watch the growth of the buds ; 

 a single protonema (formed by germination of one spore) can 

 give rise to many plants. You can also get protonema cultures 

 at any time of year by simply cutting out sods of Funaria and 

 growing them upside down, covered with a bell-glass and kept 



