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Fig. 295.—Polytrichum commune. f,f, fertile plants, one on the left in fruit, m, antheridial plant.

Fig. 296.—Section of Leaf of Polytrichum commune.

Mosses (Bryophyta)

If we have followed carefully the development of marchantia, the study of one of the mosses will be comparatively easy. The mosses are more familiar plants than the liverworts. They grow on trees, stones, and on the soil both in wet and dry places. One of the common larger mosses, known as Polytrichum commune, may serve as an example, Fig. 295. This plant grows on rather dry knolls, mostly in the borders of open woods, where it forms large beds. In dry weather these beds have a reddish brown appearance, but when moist they form beautiful green cushions. This color is due, in the first instance, to the color of the old stems and leaves, and, in the second instance, to the peculiar action of the green living leaves under the influence of changing moisture-conditions. The inner or upper surface of the leaf is covered with thin, longitudinal ridges of delicate cells which contain chlorophyll. These cells are shown in cross-section in Fig. 296, as dots or granules. All the other tissue of the leaf consists of thick-walled, corky cells which do not allow moisture to penetrate. When the air is moist the green leaves spread out, exposing the chlorophyll cells to the air, but in