Liverworts
April 29, 2006
Lunularia cruciata
Crescent-cup liverwort has a cosmopolitan (worldwide) distribution. However, I've found it difficult to determine its native distribution using online resources. At the least, it is apparently native to western Europe, but not native to either of New Zealand or Ontario. I'm certain there are other places where it has been introduced, though – it is a common greenhouse weed. It is easy to imagine how this liverwort could be introduced to much of the world through the exchange of plants.
The small, yellowish-green bodies held within the crescent-shaped cups are gemmae, vegetative propagules of the parent plant that are produced asexually (i.e., they are genetically identical to the parent). Raindrops falling into the cups splash outwards, expelling the gemmae out of the cup. If fortune holds (what if your future depended on a raindrop?), the gemma would be transported to a suitable site and grow into a genetically identical clone of its parent plant.
Photography resource link: Images of southwestern Australia from photographer Alex Bond. Click on “Limited Edition Collection” to view his two galleries of photographs – and yes, there are kangaroos.
Posted by Daniel Mosquin at 12:30 AM| Comments (0)
March 17, 2006
Porella cordaeana
I'm on vacation, so only a short written accompaniment today. – Daniel
Porella cordaeana is a liverwort (and the first liverwort entry on Botany Photo of the Day). Liverworts are divided morphologically into two main groups: the leafy liverworts which appear similar to mosses (such as Porella) and the thalloid liverworts. To see the difference in structure, visit An Introduction to Liverwort Morphology via the web site of UBC's bryophytes course.
Posted by Daniel Mosquin at 12:00 AM| Comments (3)
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