MOSSES WITH A HAND-LENS 



17 



leaves and the strong costa reaching to the apex of the leaf, or 

 beyond. 



The last species, if sterile, will be with difBculty distinguished 

 from Grimmia, by one not familiar with it, unless comparison 

 with authentic specimens is possible. The time of maturing 

 spores seems to be spring in each of the species. In A. petrophila 

 they mature in May and June. 



Family 3. GeORGIACEAE. The Geofgia Family. 



LL of our mosses belonging to this family are distinct 

 in the four-parted peristome, each of the four teeth 

 being composed of a solid mass of cellular tissue. 

 The leaves are ovate or lanceolate, costate, leaf-cells 

 rounded-hexagonal. 



GEORGIA. 



The botanists of preceding centuries were often under royal 

 patronage and frequently found it convenient to pay their re- 

 spects to kings and queens. Thus, Georgia is named for King 

 George III of England, and Catharinea for Empress Catharine 

 II of Russia. 



G. PELLUCIDA (L.) Rabenh., the 

 Common Georgia (Tetraphis pellu- 

 cida of many authors), is very 

 abundant on decayed stumps in 

 moist woods. On the western end of 

 Long Island, where decayed wood is 

 scarce, it grows luxuriantly on the 

 banks ©f brooks in swamps, the 

 black peaty soil being as rich in or- 

 ganic matter as decaying wood. 



The Flagellate Dicranum, which 

 in New England grows almost ex- 

 clusively on decayed wood, on Long 

 Island and southwards has a habitat 

 similar to that of Georgia. This goes 

 to prove that some mosses growing 

 on decayed wood are true sapro- 

 phytes, although their saprophytism 



Figure 3. 



u. Georgia pellucida, X 2. 

 b. Gemmiferous branch, X 

 2. c. Capsule, X 10. d. 

 Peristome, X 20. See also 

 Plate I and Figs. 3 and 4. 



