#common liverwort

[geopsych]

Reminding myself to be like nature, which always finds a way.

[sandalstrapchronicles]

"flowers" of the bryophyte Common Liverwort. The largest of these tiny circular structures is only 4-5mm across.

[lovecraftsgarden]

Marchantia polymorpha

Common Liverwort, Umbrella Liverwort

(via)

[thelethalsilence]

tiny worlds that go where fires pass moss and liverwort in the Dixie Fire (2021) burn scar Lassen Volcanic National Park, CA, USA September 2024

[natureinsight]

Marchantia polymorpha, keuhkosammal

[northwestnaturalist]

Marchantia polymorpha “Common Liverwort” Marchantiaceae

Lolo National Forest, Bitterroot Mountains, MT May 10, 2015 Robert Niese

Liverworts are ancient plants that likely resemble their very first ancestors that colonized land 450 million years ago. Liverworts have male and female fruiting bodies (antheridia and archegonia, respectively) that produce either sperm or eggs. These cute little flat-topped umbrellas are the antheridia and are producing sperm. The next time it rains, these sperm will find their way to a fingery-topped umbrella (the archegonia) to fertilize eggs and produce a new plant. These particular liverworts were abundant in the dense understory of a recently burned site along with the Goblet Fungus, Geopyxis carbonaria.

[libutron]

Common Liverwort - Marchantia polymorpha 

Liverworts are not vascular plants, but a more primitive life form. They do not have true leaves like most organisms we consider plants, and do not have flowers (and thus do not produce seed), instead they have female and male sex organs forming on different plants. The male sex organs look like an umbrella while the female sex organs have finger-like projections.

Liverworts also reproduce asexually by means of gemmae (top photo), balls of cells which are genetically identical to the parent and are contained in cup-like structures on the upper surface of the plant. These are dispersed when rain splashes the cups and develop into new plants.

The Common Liverwort, Marchantia polymorpha (Marchantiaceae), forms dense, fleshy mats that grows prostrate on soil or sometimes rock in very wet, shaded areas. It can be found around throughout the entire world, but mostly in tropical areas.

References: [1] - [2] - [3]

Photo credit: ©Peter Bring | Locality: Odensbacken, Örebro Municipality, Örebro County, Sweden (2011) - [Top] - [Bottom]