EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES. 49 



Plate III. 



SPHAGNACEiE. 



Fig. 1. Generic Chaeacteb. 



Fruit apparently on short lateral branches (dadocarpous) . Roots none. 

 Stems erectj branched; the branches in bunches round the stem (fascicled) . 

 Leaves set sijirally on the stem^ of siagular texture^ generally whitish-brown. 

 Areolae (a) long^ waved^ liued with spiral filaments^ having small pores, the 

 whole, under the microscope, having the appearance of exquisite lace-work. 

 Monoicous or dioicous. Antheridia iaserted singly among the leaves of the 

 perigonia. Archegonia at first sessile, but the receptacle elongating, and thus 

 separating the leaves of the pericheetium, the fructification appears to be at the 

 end of a branch. Leaves of pericheetium sheathing. Capsule (5) black, 

 globular, shiuing, without peristome, without fruitstalk (sessile) ; that which 

 appears to be the fruitstalk being in reality the long vaginula. Lid concave, 

 flattened. Spores small. 



These mosses extend over larger spaces than any others with which we are 

 yet acquaiuted. In moorland districts the bogs are filled with them for miles;* 

 by their rapid growth they often choke up pools, and aid in the formation of peat. 

 They may be known by their generally washed-out, ragged look. Their colours 

 are chiefly dirty white, brown, dull lilac, crimson and green ; but in some species 

 the young plants form dense cushions of bright emerald green. The species are 

 numerous ; they will at first be found rather difiicult to determine, but they are 

 soon distiuguished by practice, and all will furnish an almost endless variety 

 of objects for the microscope, of which it is impossible to exaggerate the 

 wonder and the beauty. The capsule, examined with a condenser under a 

 power of twenty, is like a goblet carved ia ebony, supported on a silver stem. 

 The leaves, each species having its own distinctive form of cell, but all having 

 cells of the same general shape, appear like lace which casts the productions 

 of Honiton and Brussels into the shade. A branch may be examiaed with a 



* They form the " Mosses " of northern districts, and from the associations connected with 

 " Mosses " and " Moss Trooper," the Sphagnum might be called the Historical Moss. 



