The seven vegetable families. 203 
which connedls them into that Chain. The Globules of Farina, entire 
and burft, are (hewn at Fig. 7. — Such care has Nature taken, of the Semi- 
nal Plantule of this fmall Moss, before it is delivered to the Seed : for 
every Globule of this Chain contains a feparate Particle of the Flelhy Sub- 
fiance of the Plant, riling from the reticular body of the Anthera, which 
is a continuation of it. 
When this Farina is to be dropped upon the Seeds, the procefs is this. 
The Hood, Fig. i, a, firft falls otf ; then the Antherae, Fig. feparate 
and harden ; after this the Membrane which covers the Anthera burds 
on the infide, and along the edges. Fig. 5, and the Chains of Globules 
break and dart out in length; but dill the Membrane keeps its form. In 
this State the Anthera refembles the Snout of the Saw-fifh, fee Fig. 5, hav- 
ing a multitude of Teeth on each edge. The two oppofite Teeth are al- 
ways the two ends of a Chain of Farina, which has broke on the infide of 
the Anthera, where both the Membrane and this Chain are weaked j and 
a careful eye will trace eafily the continuation of the line acrofs the An- 
thera. 
After a time the Membrane which forms this Chain burds length- 
wife, 6. Every Knot is a Globule of Farina, which, when the Mem- 
brane opens, falls out, and the Mouth of the Seed-VefTel being open juft 
below, it naturally lodges upon one or other of the Seeds. Each of thefc 
has a fmall aperture in the Crown, and the Globule of Farina burding, 
the Plantule, with its defence of waxy-matter, which it has exadly as the 
large Plants, makes its way in. Thus the Seed of this Moss is perfected ; 
and, when it is hardened, falls from the Head, and grows. 
I HAVE obferved, that it has been thought thefe fwoln Particles in the 
Head of a Moss were Globules of Farina, not Seeds ; and that the Head 
itfelf, tho’ it have plainly all the necedary parts of Fru6tification in itfelf, 
has been called an Anthera. Reafon, and its condrudlion, feem to de- 
clare otherwife, and certainly experience does fo. 
The eftablifhed Charaderifticks of an Anthera are, that it is a part 
of a Flower full of Farina. But the Head in this Moss is not a part, but 
an entire body, containing every thing belonging to a Flower, except Pe- 
tals, which are of no confequence, and are wanting equally in many of 
the larger and more fpecious Plants. This Head is a Cup, formed as all 
other Cups of the outer Rind of the Stalk : the Rays of the Corona are 
Anthers, and their Globules true Farina. The hollow body in 
the Head is a real Seed-Vessel ; and the folid mafs from which it rifes, 
D d 2 together 
