BRYOPHYTES 83 
by leaves, may be seen a group of antheridia. When fresh 
and ripe they may be seen with a hand lens as small reddish- 
brown bodies. Carefully remove the leaves from about the 
antheridia and sketch. Among the antheridia are slender 
stalks composed of two to four cells. These are the para- 
physes. What function do they probably serve? Study one 
antheridium carefully and draw. If you have fresh material 
try to find the sperms escaping. What is the form of the 
sperm? Are many developed? 
(0) Archegonia and eggs. Sometimes antheridia and 
archegonia are borne on the same plant, though this is not 
usually the case. Plants bearing archegonia usually have 
the tip leaves drawn together more closely than do the 
antheridial plants. From plants which you think may bear 
archegonia remove the tip leaves and examine. Arche- 
gonia, if present, will be seen to be slender flask-like bodies, 
not so conspicuous as the antheridia. 
Each archegonium consists of the basal part, the stalk; 
the elongated part, the neck; the swollen part, the venter; 
a row of canai-cells in the neck; and the large egg within 
the venter. The egg is fertilized without leaving the arche- 
gonium, forming the oospore. How is fertilization brought 
about? Draw an archegonium. 
How does the antheridium of a moss differ from that of 
the Algzw? How does an archegonium differ from the oogo- 
nium of the Alge? 
Since this leafy shoot is the part of the plant that bears 
the gametes, it is called the gametophyte (gamete plant). 
Asexual reproduction—After the oospore is formed it 
begins to grow, elongating until one end has pushed out 
considerably beyond the tip of the leafy shoot. Note and 
sketch cases where it has begun to emerge from the leaves. 
Also older stages where the tip has become a swollen struc- 
ture—the capsule. Open the capsule and observe spores. 
Can you determine the arrangement of the teeth (peristome) 
