108 



DOMESTIC BOTANY. 



cellular tissue, generally furnished with alternate, entire, or 

 serrated leaves, having a midrib only. Fructification of two 

 kinds, Antheridia (rnale) and Pistilidia (^female), the latter 

 eventually becoming urn-shaped spore cases {thecce)^ borne on 

 long or short footstalks (setce), opening at the apex by a lid 

 {operculum), and generally covered by a deciduous, mem- 

 braneous, smooth, or hairy covering {calyptra), (fig. 11, a.). 

 Above 1000 species of this interesting family are enumerated. 

 They have a wide geographical range, but are most abundant 



Fig. U. 



a. Spore-case and spores of Mosses ; 6. Ditto of Equisetum, 

 Lycopodium, aud Marsilea ; c. Ditto of Ferns. 



in the temperate zones, although some are found in both 

 tropical and polar regions. 



In the northern parts of Europe the genus Sphagnum 

 covers large bogs, and in course of time becomes converted 

 into Peat, which is , used for fuel. Above 300 species are 

 natives of this country. Of these many are common to all 

 localities, growing on lawns, trees, old walls, and in shady 

 woods. Some few have leaves of a metallic hue, as the 

 silvery Bryum {B. argenteum). A few are very local, the 

 beautiful Splachnum ampullaceum, being found only on the 

 dung of animals. Schistostegia osmundacea ornaments 



