Marchantia quadrata

Phylum: Marchantiophyta

Family: Marchantiaceae

Genus: Marchantia

Scientific Name: Marchantia quadrata Scop.

Common Name	Narrow Mushroom-headed Liverwort
Frequency	Frequent

Image Gallery Distinguishing Features Similar Species Habitats Associated Species Distribution Map Relevant Literature

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Distinguishing Features

A frequent presence along the long the margins of running water, M. quadrata is a complex thalloid species most notable for its mushroom-shaped sporing structures (see photo). The thallus is an unremarkable green, but often fringed in brown or puce hues and grows tightly appressed to rock and soil with thallus segments about 1 cm wide and up to a few centimeters long. Absent reproductive structures, confident ID requires examination with a hand lens or a microscope to show cross-shaped openings on the air chambers and two rows of scales on the underside of the thallus, each scale bearing a single narrow and elongate appendage along its margin.

Similar species

Habitat

Associated species

Distribution Map

Relevant Literature

Godfrey, J.D. (1977). Hepaticae and Anthocerotae of southwestern British Columbia . [Doctoral dissertation, University of British Columbia]. UBC cIRcle.
Hong, W. S. (2007). Scapania. In Flora of North America Editorial Committee (Eds.), Flora of North America North of Mexico (Vol. 3) . Oxford University Press.
Wagner, D. H. (2013). Guide to the liverworts of Oregon: Scapania undulata . Oregon State University Herbarium.