59 



The second point to note are the concHtions or surrounch'ngs in 

 which the plant Hvcs. This must he carefully noted. The ijlace 

 ui)on which it ^rows is called its luihilal. The habitat inay be the 

 deep woods or the open fields; upon rocks or trees; while others may 

 be water loving. These five habitats will cover practically all 

 the conditions under which mosses may be found. 



Another feature which will assist the beginner in the identi- 

 fication of his specimen is the form and shape of the calyptra. 

 The calyptra may be cucullate, that is hood shaped, but opened on 

 one side only; or it may be mitrate; that is hooded, but opened in 

 several places. 



Fourth, and a most important character, is the shape of the 

 capsule. This may be long and cylindrical or short or ovoid, or 

 urn shaped, or it may be round or globose. 



How TO Use the Key 



Care should be taken in selecting a plant, that it be fruiting. 

 The greater number of sterile plants are impossible of deter- 

 mination for the beginner. Place the specimen in an envelope 

 or bag, carefully noting on the outside of the wrapper the date 

 and place and also the habitat or conditions under which the 

 plant is growing. 



The following is the order to observe for classification. 



1. Does the fruiting body grow from the end of the leafy 

 portion, that is the gametophyte portion, or does it grow from a 

 side or lateral branch? If from the first, then the specimen be- 

 longs to the acrocarpous group of mosses; if from the second then 

 it belongs to the pleurocarpous group. The collector will find 

 the key divided first into these two groups; the acrocarpous mosses 

 are discussed in the first half, the pleurocarpous in the second. 



2. There dixe five habitats considered; here careful observations 

 must be made. If the specimen be found on Habitat i, that is, 

 on humus, logs or ground in woods, then note from which of 

 these particular conditions the specimen was picked. If from 

 Habitat 2, that is, on the bark of trees, note whether the specimen 

 grew on the upper part of the bark, on the middle, or at the base 

 about the roots. Is the bark living or dead? From Habitat 3, 



