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NZ Plants
Marchantia polymorpha
Family Marchantiaceae
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Thallus, dorsal surface
L Jensen
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Dorsal surface, growing tip of thallus
L Jensen
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Dorsal surface, air pores
R Gardner
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Air pore, epidermal peel in compound microscope
L Jensen
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Dorsal surface, gemmae cup
L Jensen
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Thallus, ventral surface with numerous rhizoids and marginal scales
L Jensen
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Growing tip with marginal scales
L Jensen
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Bundles of rhizoids terminating in marginal scales
L Jensen
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Rhizoids at midregion of thallus
L Jensen
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An emerging antheridiophore consisting of a filamentous extension of the thallus terminating in a disc
L Jensen
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Immature convex disc
L Jensen
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Mature concave disc
L Jensen
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Archegoniophores with terminal discs
L Jensen
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Archegoniophore, disc in top view
L Jensen
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Mature disc in side view. Numerous transparent scales surround pendant sporophytes
L Jensen
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Involucre of scales, emergent sporophyte with a short seta (stalk) and a terminal sporangium
L Jensen
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Sporangia releasing spores
L Jensen
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Marchantia polymorpha has a prostrate, light green thallus in rosettes or patches 5-10 mm wide. The dorsal surface has toothed gemmae cups and barrel-shaped air pores surrounded by 4-6 rings of superposed cells. The ventral surface bears numerous rhizoids and scales. Female and male gametangia are borne on erect branches of the thallus called archegoniophores (female) and antheriodiophores (male).
Widespread in New Zealand on moist soil and rocks.