MOSSES. 78 
star-like tufts radiating from the centre, and pre- 
senting a remarkably pellucid crystalline appear- 
ance. The fruit-vessel is immersed in the frond, 
and has no elaters. It never bursts regularly, but 
emits the spores only by decay. 
The most interesting of all the frondose group of 
scale-mosses, however, is the common Marchantia 
or Liverwort (Marchantia polymorpha, Fig. 3). It 
is very common, creeping in large, dull, dark- 
Fic, 3.—MARCHANTIA POLYMORPHA. 
green patches over rocks in very moist and shady 
situations, such as the banks of a densely-wooded 
stream in a deep narrow glen, or the sides of 
rivers and fountains. It may often be seen also 
on the moist walls of hot-houses, and in the pots 
and tubs. It adheres closely to rocks, which it 
sometimes completely covers with its imbricated 
fronds, by the numerous white downy radicles 
with which the under-surface is covered. Its 
fronds are flat, about three inches long, and from 
