5.2: Liverworts
- Page ID
- 35330
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Liverworts, Phylum Marchantiophyta
Gametophyte Morphology
There are two distinct type of liverworts: leafy liverworts and thalloid liverworts. Leafy liverworts have leaves arranged in a flat plane with a set of smaller underleaves.
![Porella, a leafy liverwort, with leaves arranged in a single plane](https://bio.libretexts.org/@api/deki/files/27316/Porella_leaves.jpg?revision=1)
![The tip of a leafy liverwort thallus](https://bio.libretexts.org/@api/deki/files/45313/1.jpg?revision=1&size=bestfit&width=585&height=438)
![A leafy liverwort thallus, turned over to show the underleaves](https://bio.libretexts.org/@api/deki/files/45314/2.jpg?revision=1&size=bestfit&width=797&height=597)
Thalloid liverworts have no leaves and their gametophytes look more similar to hornwort gametophytes. Another similarity to hornworts is the presence of simple pores for gas exchange (no guard cells, meaning pores are permanently open). Unlike hornworts, liverwort cells have multiple chloroplasts. Many liverwort gametophytes produce asexual clones called gemmae.
![A Lunularia thallus covered with gemmae cups that are shaped like crescents](https://bio.libretexts.org/@api/deki/files/27317/Lunularia_gemmae_2.jpg?revision=1&size=bestfit&width=681&height=535)
![Gemmae cups and archegoniophores on the thalloid liverwort Marchantia](https://bio.libretexts.org/@api/deki/files/27318/Marchantia.jpg?revision=1)
![An antheriodiophore and an archegoniophore](https://bio.libretexts.org/@api/deki/files/45315/3.jpg?revision=1&size=bestfit&width=641&height=480)
![Marchantia antheridiophore long section](https://bio.libretexts.org/@api/deki/files/29950/InkedMarchantia_Antheridiophore_LI.jpg?revision=1&size=bestfit&width=735&height=552)
![Marchantia archegoniophore long section, unfertilized](https://bio.libretexts.org/@api/deki/files/29949/InkedMarchantia_Egg_LI.jpg?revision=1&size=bestfit&width=860&height=530)
Sporophyte Morphology
Liverworts produce a single sporangium (capsule) at the end of a seta, which is often fragile and transparent. The sporangium dehisces, splitting into four pieces. In thalloid liverworts, the sporophyte may emerge directly from the thallus or, as is the case with the genus Marchantia, from complex structures called antheridiophores and archegoniophores. In this case, the sporophytes emerge from the underside of the archegoniophore.
![Liverwort sporophytes growing amongst mosses and other small plants](https://bio.libretexts.org/@api/deki/files/27314/Liverwort_sporophytes_4.jpg?revision=1&size=bestfit&width=816&height=641)
![Liverwort sporophytes that are longer and more delicate](https://bio.libretexts.org/@api/deki/files/27315/Liverwort_sporophytes_again.jpg?revision=1&size=bestfit&width=734&height=686)
![Sporophyte developing on the underside of a Marchantia archegoniophore](https://bio.libretexts.org/@api/deki/files/29951/InkedInkedMarchantia_Mature_Sporophyte_2_LI.jpg?revision=1&size=bestfit&width=611&height=720)
Marchantia Life Cycle
![Labeled Marchantia life cycle diagram](https://bio.libretexts.org/@api/deki/files/29948/Labeled_Marchantia_life_cycle.jpg?revision=1)
Attribution
Content by Maria Morrow, CC-BY-NC.