-35— 
THE FRUITING SEASON OF THE HAIR=CAP MOSS. 
Phebe M. Towle and Anna E. Gilbert. 
Paper read before the Vermont Botanical Club, Jan. 20, 1904. 
In March, 1903, a group of students in the laboratory of the University 
of Vermont were giving attention to the hair-cap moss. The material had 
been brought from different stations, and in it were found plants with the 
rosettes having well developed antheridia; plants with tufts of green leaves 
at the top, showing apparently only last year’s growth; plants having sporo- 
phytes of good height and usually retaining the hairy cap ; and others with the 
sporophytes rising only from one-half to three-fourths of an inch above the 
tuft of leaves. As the observations went on these questions arose: first, where 
are the archegonia with the egg cells which should be ready for the sperm? 
second, how old are these sporophytes? third, when do these sporophytes 
mature their spores? Following the suggestions of the questions these 
observations have been noted. 
On March 24th the antheridial plants showed the antheridia with the 
contents retained, the sperm mother cells showing through the walls. April 
16th the antheridia were discharging their contents. The sperm mother cells 
were massed together and appeared nearly square as seen in section. The 
motile sperm cells were in very rapid motion. On the same day an 
anchegonium was found. It was about as tall as the smallest or innermost 
enclosing leaves. On April 18th two archegonia were found in the same 
plant. One was about the size of the one found two days earlier and the 
other was two and one-half times as tall as the first. The shorter arche- 
gonium had a rounded top apparently unopened, while the taller one was 
somewhat funnel shaped above probably indicating the mature condition of 
the archegonium when it is open ready to receive the sperm cells. Many 
plants were examined in which no archegonia were found. 
In the last week of July the hairy cap showed in a dissected specimen, 
jt was during the third week in August that the first little hair-cap peeped 
out of its tuft of green leaves. One week latter the same little plant was 
showing plainly. On October 12th the sporophytes were showing a half-inch 
above the leaves. Some of these plants were brought in and kept in a cool 
place and two months later had added, in some plants, another half-inch to 
their height. 
The second question, — how old are the sporophytes which are present in 
the spring, has been answered in part by the reports just given of the 
development of the plant through the season. But this will be made still 
more clear by observations of next spring upon plants in marked stations, of 
which the autumn conditions were made matters of careful record. 
The third question, — when do these sporophytes ripen their spores, takes 
us on to August. The greater number of sporophytes of P . juniper inuni 
had by August 21st shed their hairy caps, but some still retained them. The 
lids were in place but came off easily when disturbed and the spores <could 
be pushed or shaken out. The sporophytes looked fresh. The capsules and 
spores were green in color. The plants from which they grew showed no 
