CHAPTER XX 
BRYOPHYTES 
MUSCI 
In general, the mosses are more conspicuous than the liverworts 
and easier to collect. Many of the most desirable forms fruit only 
in the spring, but something can be found throughout the summer 
and autumn and some, like species of Sphagnum, pass the winter 
with the antheridia and archegonia in advanced stages of development. 
Material is more troublesome to fix than in the liverworts because 
small bubbles of air hinder penetration of the fixing fluid. Use 
an air-pump. Older archegonia and capsules which have turned 
brownish add to the difficulties of the technic. 
The special chromo-acetic-osmic-acid solution, or this solution 
without the osmic acid, fixes well. If an air-pump is not available 
at the time of fixing, Land’s formalin alcohol solution (6 c.c. commer¬ 
cial formalin to 100 c.c. of 70 per cent alcohol) will be more 
satisfactory. 
Protonema. Protonema of some moss can always be found at 
any season. Look for greenish patches resembling Vaucheria. 
Such mats show the developing protonema and young leafy plants. 
Very young mats of moss will also show good protonema, but are 
not likely to show young buds. The brownish bulbils, which are 
quite common in mosses, can be seen with a good pocket lens. The 
little Webern, almost always found on the pots in the fernery or on 
the benches in greenhouses, quite frequently shows this mode of 
reproduction. Protonema is easily grown from spores. 
Permanent mounts are very easily made. Simply wash away 
the dirt with water and put the material into 50 per cent glycerin, 
and let the glycerin concentrate. Mount in glycerin or glycerin 
jelly for permanent mounts. Seal thoroughly. Such mounts, with 
no fixing or staining, may retain the green color for many years. 
If you do not insist upon keeping the green color, much clearer 
mounts can be made by fixing in formalin acetic acid, about 10 c.c. 
of formalin and 5 c.c. of acetic acid to 100 c.c. of water, and staining 
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