consist of an indefinite number of nearly cylindrical, almost sessile anthers; the fertile flowers of one, rarely more, perfect pistils, accompanied by several barren pistils. Both stamens and pistils are intermixed with numerous succulent jointed threads, which perhaps answer the purpose of a calyx or corolla, as far as protection is concerned. Some few species of moss have the stamens and pistils associated in the same flower, but they are generally separate. Hypnum, Engl. Bot. t. 1424, 1425, has a peculiar scaly sheath, or perichætium, at the base of its fruit-stalk, composed of leaves very different from the foliage of the plant. This is considered as a sort of calyx, see p. 251, and as such is allowed to enter into the generic character; but there is some reason to esteem it rather of the nature of bracteas. The capsule of Splachnum, Engl. Bot. t. 144, &c., stands on a peculiar fleshy base, called apophysis.
Micheli in his Genera Plantarum, published in 1729, tab. 59, has well reprerented the parts above described, though
