5i 



Class II. MUSCI. Mosses. 



Protonema mostly consisting of branching threads, 

 provided with rhizoids and producing buds which develop 

 into moss-plants (the sexual generation). Antheridia and 

 archegonia at the apex of the plant or branch, often 

 surrounded by an involucre of leaves (perichaetium) in 

 such a way that the whole arrangement resembles a flower. 

 Usually the sporogonium detaches in its growth the wall 

 of the surrounding archegonium and carries it on its apex 

 as the calyptra. 



In most orders of mosses the lower portion of the 

 sporogonium is transformed into a stalk called the seta. 

 When ripe the capsule opens either by slits or by means 

 of a lid, the mouth being often provided with beautifully 

 ornamented teeth (peristome), which yield, by their number 

 and shape, valuable characters for taxonomy. 



Plate 7. 



A. Macromitrium{Macrocoma)pulchellumRr\d. I. Plant. 2. Leaf. 3. Apex of leaf. 

 4. Basis of leaf. 5. Capsule with calyptra. 6. Peristome. 



B. Goniomitrium africanum (C. Muell.) Broth. 1. Plant. 2. Same, enlarged. 

 3. Leaf. 



C. Bartramidula comosa (Hamp. & C. Muell.) Broth. 1. Plant. 2. Twig, 

 enlarged. 3. Leaf. 4, 5. Apex of leaf. 6. Capsule. 



D. Rhacocarpus Ecklonianus (C. Muell.) Broth. 1. Plant. 2. Branch, enlarged. 

 3. Leaf. 4, 5. Apex of leaf. 6. Cells from apex. 7. Basis of leaf. 



E. Leptodon Smithii (Dicks.) Mohr. 1. Plant. 2. Plant, shrivelled. 3. Apex 

 of leaf. 4. Perichaetial branch with capsule and calyptra. 5. Peristome. 



F. Hypopterygium laricinum Brid. I. Plant. 2. Twig, enlarged. 3. Apex of 

 leaf. 4. Peristome. 



Fig. E from Bryologia Europaea, the others from nature. 



7—2 



