THE HIGHER CRYPTOGAMIA. 181 



relate to the production in Mnium serratum of two capsules 

 upon one seta, and of two capsules upon one apophysis in 

 Bryum aryenteum, and Splachnum vasculosum, seem to in- 

 dicate the possibility of a bifurcation of the growing upper 

 end of the fruit-rudiment. Those portions which relate to 

 the discovery of two fruits and two fruit stalks underneath 

 one common calyptra in Polytrichum juniperinum and of 

 two stalked fruits upon one seta in Hypnum plumosum, ap- 

 pear to point to the existence in the central cell of one and 

 the same archegonimn, of two germinal vesicles capable of 

 impregnation. There is hardly a doubt of the occurrence 

 of such a polyembryony, the development of which however 

 must assume a different form, when it is considered that 

 (1. c, p. 653) the case of an amalgamation of two capsules, 

 each furnished with a peristome, has been observed in 

 Hypnum lutescens. The mouths of the two capsules are 

 turned to one another, the smaller one having grown up 

 upon the larger one. Both are united by a median 

 process. 



In order to arrive at a perfect proof of the sexuality of 

 mosses, it is desirable that hybrids between different species 

 should be artificially produced : i. e. that fruits should be 

 obtained by the impregnation of the archegonia of one 

 species by the antheridia of another. Bayrhoffer suggested 

 that some mosses found by him growing wild were hybrids 

 between Gymnostomwm pyriforme and fasciculare on the 

 one side, and Funaria hyyrometrica on the other side (see 

 Braun's ' Verjimgung,' p. 330). I have not yet succeeded 

 in producing such hybrids experimentally, although I 

 brought together antheridial plants of Gymnostomum pyri- 

 forme and plants of Funaria hyyrometrica with their anthe- 

 ridial shoots cut off. The mutilated plants of Funaria 

 hyyrometrica always perished. This is however no reason for 

 giving up the attempt. By changing the method of culti- 

 vation the right one will probably be attained at last which 

 will lead to the desired result. 



