266 
ORGANOGRAPHY. 
BOOK I. 
At the summit of some of the branches of many species are 
seated certain organs, which are called male flowers, but the 
true nature of which is not understood. They are possibly 
organs of reproduction of a particular kind, for both Mees 
and Haller are recorded to have seen them produce young 
plants. Agardh says they have only the form of male organs ; 
and that they really appear to be gemmules. By Hedwig 
they were called spermatocystidia ; by others staminidia or an~ 
theridia. They are cylindrical, articulated, clavate, membra- 
nous bodies, opening by an irregular perforation at the apex, 
and discharging a mucous granular fluid. Among them are 
found slender, pellucid, jointed threads, which are abortive 
antheridia. Unger and Meyer have found spermatic ani- 
malcules, apparently Vibrios, in the antheridia of Sphagnum 
and Hypnum. [Comptes Rendus^ vi. 632.) 
But, whatever may be the nature of these organs, there is 
no doubt of the reproductive functions of the contents of what 
is named the sporangium, theca, or capsule, which is a hollow 
urn-like body, containing sporules : it is usually elevated on a 
stalk, named the seta, with a bulbous base, surrounded by 
leaves of a different form from the rest, and distinguished by 
the name of perichcetial leaves. If this sporangium be ex- 
amined in its youngest state, it will be seen to form one of 
several small sessile ovate bodies ( pistillidia, Agardh ; pros- 
physes, Ehrhart; adductores, Hedwig), enveloped in a mem- 
brane tapering upwards into a point ; when abortive they are 
called paraphyses. In process of time the most central of 
these bodies swells, and bursts its membranous covering, of 
which the greatest part is carried upwards on its point, while 
the seta on which the sporangium is supported lengthens. 
This part, so carried upwards, is named the calyptra : if it is 
torn away equally from its base, so as to hang regularly over 
the sporangium, it is said to be mitriform ; but if it is rup- 
tured on one side by the expansion of the sporangium, which 
is more frequently the case, it is denominated dimidiate. 
When the calyptra has fallen off or is removed, the sporan- 
gium is seen to be closed by a lid terminating in a beak or 
rostrum : this lid is the operculum, and is either deciduous or 
persistent. If the interior of the sporangium be now inves- 
