Notes on the Physiology of the Sporophyte of 
Funaria and of Mnium. 
By 
Dr. Rodney H. True, 
Washington, DC. 
Introductory. 
«/ 
Tlie results presented in tliese notes are the outcome of ex- 
periments performed by the writer at the University of 'Wis¬ 
consin a numlier of years ago and supplemented by other studies 
of more recent date. 
Althouyh the cnrvature of the seta of many common mosses 
and the nnsymetric growth of the capsules of not a few others 
are matters of common observation, students of plant physiology 
appear to have given but very little attention to the phenome- 
non. Bnt one author, Wichura (1), seems to have given the suk- 
ject close study and his conclusions were reaclied without any 
considerable amount of experimentation. By observing tlie con- 
duct of developing sporopliytes of Bryum argenteum L. with re- 
ference to the direction of the strongest illumination vdien pla- 
ced in various positions, Wichura came to the conclusion that 
the position assumed by tlie capsules of tliis species is due to 
the influence of the direction of the incident light rays. After 
a few experiments with Bryum argenteum , he ventured the con¬ 
clusion that the direction assumed by the slioots and leaves of 
Fissidens , the secund ITypna. Dicrana and others is likewise de- 
termined by their relation to tlie direction and intensitv of il- 
lumination. A marked sensitiveness of the sporophyte to light 
is also asserted. The possible infLuence of still other factors in 
shaping tlie development of the mosses seems not to have oc- 
curred to tliis author. 
Goebei (2), however, points out that our knowledge of the 
influence of factors of tlie environmeiit on tlie development of 
the mosses is in a very unsatisfactory state. 
