MUSCI. 
to the female receptacles, while the habit of the male receptacles is altogether 
different. In the former the archegonia and antheridia occur either close to one 
another at the summit of the stem in the centre of the envelope (Ferükcp/mm), 
either in two groups, or separated by peculiar enveloping leaves, and the antheridia 
stand in the axils of these arranged in a spiral, surrounding the central group of 
archegonia. The form of the perichsetium is, in the female and bisexual receptacles, 
that of an elongated almost closed bud, formed by several turns of the leaf-spiral. Its 
leaves are similar to the foliage-leaves, and become smaller towards the interior, but 
grow all the more vigorously after fertihsation. The male perichaetium consists of 
broader firmer leaves, and is of three different forms ; usually it is bud-shaped, and 
resembles that of the female receptacle, but is shorter and thicker, its leaves often 
coloured red, and decreasing in size towards the outside ; receptacles of this type are 
always lateral. Secondly, the male perichaetia are sometimes shaped like capitula, and 
are, on the contrary, always terminal on a stouter shoot and globular ; their leaves are 
broad, sheathing at the base, thinner and recurved at the upper part ; they become 
smaller towards the interior, and leave the centre of the receptacle, with the anthe- 
ridia, free ; these receptacles are sometimes borne on a naked pedicel, a prolonga- 
tion of the stem {Splachmmi, Taylorid). Finally, the male perichaetia are sometimes 
discoid and consist of leaves which are very different from the foliage-leaves ; they are 
broader and shorter, expanded horizontally at 
the upper part, delicate and of a pale green, 
orange, or purple colour ; they are always smaller 
the nearer the leaf-spiral approaches the centre ; 
the antheridia stand in their axils [Mnium, Poly- 
trichum, Pogonafum, Dawsonid). The para- 
physes stand between or by the side of the sexual 
organs ; in the female receptacle they are always 
articulated filaments ; in the male, filiform or 
spathulate, and consisting, in the upper part, 
of several rows of cells. 
The Antheridia are, when mature, stalked 
sacs with a wall consisting of a single layer of 
cells containing chlorophyll - granules, which 
however, in the ripe state, assume a red or 
yellow colour. In the Sphagnaceae and in Bux- 
baumia the antheridia are nearly spherical, but 
in all other Mosses of an elongated club shape. 
In the Sphagnaceae they open in the same 
manner as in the Hepaticse ; in the other orders 
by a slit across the apex, through which the 
antherozoids still enclosed in their mother-cells 
are discharged as a thick mucilaginous jelly. 
The interstitial mucilage dissolves in water, and 
the antherozoids escape from their mother-cells and swim about free. 
The careful investigations of Leitgeb show that the morphological significance 
of the antheridia is very various. In Sphagnum the mother-cell of the antheridium 
B b 2 
Fig. ■2S\.—Fuiiaria Jiygroinetrica ; A an antlie- 
ridium bursting-, a the antherozoids (x 350); B tlie 
antherozoids more strongly magnified, b in the 
mother-cell ; c free antherozoid of Polytrichittn 
(X800). 
