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THE NON-VASCULAR PLANTS 



Anthoceros absorbs much of its food from the thallus in 

 which its foot is embedded, it is also able to manufacture 



food itself by means of the 

 chloroplasts which it con- 

 tains. It is believed that 

 forms like Anthoceros were 

 the ancestors of the fern 

 pla.nts. 



E. Liverworts as Pio- 

 neers. — You remember that 

 lichens were described as 

 the first plants to grow on 

 rocks. It was said that 

 they are followed by other 

 plants. If the rocks are 

 moist and shaded, liver- 

 FiG. igg.~ Anthoceros, a liverwort which ^orts are very Hkely to be 



produces green sporogonia. — Redrawn the plants which folloW the 



f''""'^"'^'"- lichens. You may have 



seen rocks on which livei worts were gradually growing over 

 the Hchens and kilhng them. Similarly, we often find 

 mosses following Uverworts and crowding them out. 

 Mosses do not need as much moisture as hverworts do, 

 so, on dry rocks, they are usually the plants which follow 

 the Hchens. 



74. Mosses. — Mosses grow in patches, in clumps, and in 

 cushion-hke masses. If you have pulled up a bunch of moss, 

 you have noticed the brown, dead part below. It is as large 

 or larger than the live, green part above. Moss keeps grow- 

 ing above and dying below. You have noticed the tiny 



