The Phascums, or Earth Mosses. 



175 



The Phascums are among the most minute of mosses. Our 

 illustration of P. serratum shows it in an advanced stage of 

 maturity, and very greatly magnified, the confervoid shoot 

 developed into a long, irregularly -toothed leaf. The network 

 of the leaf appearing only like alternate lines, light and dark, 

 a little higher magnifying power, or a little more light thrown 

 on a single, separated leaf, would show the beautiful reticulation. 

 The species is not unfrequent upon sandy shaded banks, though 

 Hooker says of the whole tribe of Phascums, that they are 

 more frequently met with in the southern, than in the northern 

 parts of Great Britain. 



PHASCUM SEEEATUM, 



Shewing the Capsule burst for the emission of Spores. Very highly magnified. 



Another and still more common species is P. muticum, or 

 common dwarf earth-moss, found on moist banks and fallows, 

 and fruiting at the same season as P. serratum, viz., in autumn 

 and spring. The leaves in this species are widely ovate- 

 acuminate, nerved, very concave, so as sometimes to appear 

 almost hemispherical, the two innermost larger than the rest, 

 erect, minutely toothed above, and all connivent, embracing the 

 immersed fruit, a tuft of this moss looking like a cluster of 

 minute bulbs. 



When mature, this species is without the converva-liko 

 shoots so conspicuous in P. serratum. The capsule is round, 



