Lunularia cruciata (A thallose liverwort)

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Lunularia cruciata (the sole species of the genus) is a complex thallose liverwort. The vegetative plant (or thallus) consists of thickish, green lobes and is therefore very similar to that of the genus Marchantia. However, Lunularia produces disc-like gemmae (vegetative propagules) in crescent-shaped gemma cups but in species of Marchantia the gemma cups are circular. In this photo (http://www.cpbr.gov.au/bryophyte/photos-captions/lunularia-cruciata-42.html) you see some crescent-shaped gemma cups holding small green gemmae (and also a few scattered gemmae that have been washed out of gemma cups). That photo shows a male plant and as well as the gemma cups you also see a few pads with the somewhat milky sperm suspension. On a female Lunularia thallus you may see small white buttons (http://www.cpbr.gov.au/bryophyte/photos-captions/lunularia-cruciata-118.html), from which the spore-bearing structures develop. Here (http://www.cpbr.gov.au/bryophyte/photos-captions/lunularia-cruciata-43.html) you see such a structure just breaking out from one of those buttons and here (http://www.cpbr.gov.au/bryophyte/photos-captions/lunularia-cruciata-121.html) you see a number of mature examples. The black balls at the ends of the apical cross-arms are the spore capsules.

Lunularia cruciata is listed in the following regions:

Canberra & Southern Tablelands | Southern Highlands | Albury, Wodonga