EXPLANATION OF THE 



PLATES. 



175 



SPLACHNE^E. 



Fig. 3. Characteristics op Order. 



Plants extremely succulent, and of lax texture ; of rapid growth, chiefly upon 

 animal refuse ; seta long and succulent ; capsule (a) very remarkable, itself ovate 

 or cylindrical, with an apophysis much larger than itself, globose and of a different 

 colour, the whole being flagon-shaped ; peristome single, of sixteen teeth in pairs, 

 singularly hygroscopic, curving inwards when moist, turning down upon the 

 capsule when dry, yellow ; spores regularly arranged round the columella ; areolaa 

 (b) very large. 



Fig. 4. Splachnum vasculosum. 



Large-fruited Collar Moss (a) , 



Colour. Lurid green, with purple radicles. 

 Stems. Long, simple or branched, radiculose. 



Leaves (b) . Roundish ovate, base narrow ; areolaa large ; nerve ceasing below 

 the apex. 



Flowers and Fruit. Dioicous; seta one inch long, succulent; apophysis purple. 

 Summer. 



Locality. Wet places among the Scottish mountains. 



Fig. 5. Splachnum ampullaceum. 

 Flagon-fruited, Collar Moss (a) . 



Colour. Dull green. 



Stems. Branched, in patches. 



Leaves (b) . Oblong-lanceolate ; serrated, base sheathing, crowded ; upper much 



larger than the lower ; areolae very large. 

 Flowers and Fruit. Monoicous or Dioicous ; seta thick, apophysis purple ; very 



large. Summer. 

 Locality. Animal refuse, in Scotland. 



