VIIl] 



MUSCITES. 



239 



leaves, with a delicate lamina, without veins or with a single 

 median vein, arranged in a spiral manner on the stem. 



Muscites'- is one of those convenient generic designations 

 which limited knowledge and incomplete data render necessary 

 in palaeontology. Fossil plants which in their general habit 

 bear a sufficiently striking resemblance to recent mosses, may 

 be included under this generic name. 



Fig. 51. Muscites polytrichaceus Een. and Zeill. (after Renault and Zeiller). 



1. Muscites polytrichaceus Renault and Zeiller. In this 

 species the stems are about 3 — 4 cm. long and 1'3 m. broad, 

 usually simple, but sometimes giving off a few branches, and 

 marked externally by very delicate longitudinal grooves. The 

 leaves are alternate, closely arranged, lanceolate, with an acute 

 apex, gradually narrowed towards the base, 1 — 2 mm. long, 

 traversed by a single median vein. 



One of the French specimens, on which the species was 

 founded^, is shown in fig. 51, and the form of the leaves is 

 more clearly seen in the small enlarged piece of stem. The 

 authors of the species point out that the tufted habit of the 

 specimens, their small size, and the membranous character 

 of the leaves, all point to the Musci as the Class to which 

 the plant should be referred in spite of the absence of repro- 

 ductive organs. 



Among recent mosses, the genus Rhizogonium,—o^e of the 

 Mniaceae, — and Polytrichum are spoken of as offering a close 



1 Brongniart (282) p_ 93. 



2 Eenault and Zeiller (88) p. 34, PI. XLI. figs. 2—4. 



