36 



MOSSKS WITH A HAND-LENS 



emerald dewdrops. These green spheres are the capsules nestling 

 among the leaves because of the shortness of the setae. The 

 drawing can give no idea of the beauty of a dense tuft several 

 inches square, fresh from the field, wet with the spring snows 

 and rains. 



The plants are one-twelfth to one-eighth inch high; the 

 spores mature from April to June. Not uncommon in old fields 

 on sandy banks, etc., less frequent northwards. 



As shown in the figures the leaves taper gradually to the 

 apex. In P. alternifolium which is not rare near the coast, 

 the plants are about one-fourth inch in height and have many of 

 the leaves so suddenly narrowed as to resemble a ladle in outline. 



Figure ii, Bruchia Sullivantii. 

 Natural size. «. Magnified. (From 

 SuUiv. " Icones.") 



BRUCHIA. 



Bruchia is named after 

 one of the famous old world 

 bryologists. Ph. Bruch, one 

 of the authors of the great 

 Bryologia Europea, from 

 which many of our illustra- 

 tions are taken. Our most 

 common species is 



B. Sullivantii, named by 

 Austin after SuUivant, the 

 greatest American bryologist, 

 so that this little plant is very 

 interesting for its name alone. 

 It may be found growing with 

 Pleuridium, but it is at once 

 distinguished by its partially 

 exserted, pear-shaped capsule 

 and mitrate calyptra. Its 

 spores mature about two 

 weeks later than those of 

 Pleuridium s u b u I a t u m. 

 Neither Pleuridium nor 

 Bruchia have lid or peris- 

 tome, but set free their spores 

 by the irregular breaking apart 

 of the capsule (cleistocarpous) . 



