. The elements of botany for beginners and for schools. Botany. SECTION 17.] BRYOPHYTES. 163 to attach them to the soil, or to trunks, or to other bodies on which tliey grow. Plants of this grade are chieflj Mosses. So as a whole they take the name of 498. Bryophyta, Bryophytes iu English form, Bryum being the Greek name of a Moss. These plants are of two principal kinds. true Musses Qlusci, which is their Latin name iu tlie pluralj; and Hepatic Mosses, or Liverworts {flepaiicfe). 499. Mosses or Musci. The pale Peat-mosses (species of Sphagnum, tlie princijial component of sphagnous bogs) and
. The elements of botany for beginners and for schools. Botany. SECTION 17.] BRYOPHYTES. 163 to attach them to the soil, or to trunks, or to other bodies on which tliey grow. Plants of this grade are chieflj Mosses. So as a whole they take the name of 498. Bryophyta, Bryophytes iu English form, Bryum being the Greek name of a Moss. These plants are of two principal kinds. true Musses Qlusci, which is their Latin name iu tlie pluralj; and Hepatic Mosses, or Liverworts {flepaiicfe). 499. Mosses or Musci. The pale Peat-mosses (species of Sphagnum, tlie princijial component of sphagnous bogs) and the strong grownig Hair- cap Moss (Polytrichum) are among the lar- ger and commoner representatives of this numerous family; while Fountain Moss (Fon- tiualis) in running water sometimes attains the length of a yard or more. On the other hand, some are barely individually distinguishable to the naked eye. Fig. 527 represents a com- mon little Moss, enlarged to about twelve times its natural size; and by its side is part of a leaf, much magnified, showing that it is composed of cellular tissue (parenchyma-cells) only. The leaves of Mosses are always sim- ple, distinct, and sessile on the stem. The fructification is an urn-shaped spore-case, in this as in most cases raised on a slender stalk. The spore-case loosely bears on its summit fl thin and pointed cap, like a candle-extin- guisher, called a Calj/ptm. Detaching this, it is found that the spore-case is hke a pyxis (37fi), that is, the top at maturity comes off as a lid {Operc7dum); and that the interior is filled with a green powder, the spores, which are discharged through the open mouth. In most Mosses there is a fringe of odjC or two rows of teeth or membrane around this mouth or orifice, the Peristome. When moist the peristome closes hygrometri- c.'illy over the orifice more or less; when drier the teeth or processes commonly bend outward or recurve; and then the spores more readily es- cape. In Hair-cap ]\Ioss a membran
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectbotany, bookyear1887
