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How to Study Hepatics, Mosses and Lichens with the Naked Eye and with a Lens

Have both fresh and dry material before you for comparison. If you have only dry material to start with, freshen part of it by soaking in clean hot water and learn what you can with the unaided eye about the colour, texture, manner of branching, and character of pedicel and spore-case. Many of these pretty plants can be easily recognised with the naked eye. If necessary, use a hand lens to determine the shape of the leaves and the character of the spore-case rim.

To study the specimens more in detail have a lens so mounted that it will be possible to dissect the parts with needles while watching the process through the lens.