Liverworts

General information, structure, types, and where they're found.

1. Liverworts

2. There are about 8,500 species of liverworts.

3. They have a gametophyte-dominant life cycle, in which cells of the plant carry only a single set of genetic Information.

4. Structure -Simple, one-celled appendages known as Rhizoids. - No conducting tissue to conduct water, nutrients and other materials. - No stomata so the whole plant withers when dry. - No cuticle. -The sporophytes are small and consist of a short stalk topped by a spore capsule.

5. TWO MAIN KINDS OF LIVERWORTS 1) Thallose : ribbon-like green 2) Leafy: very tiny with even smaller leaves arranged on a hair-like stem. Thallose Leafy

6. Where are they found? Most liverworts are found in places where moisture is generally available like: -on damp soil -moist rotting logs -along shaded stream banks -on rocks in streams -on wet rock