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Crescent-cup liverwort

Lunularia cruciata

The Crescent-cup liverwort is a small, green plant that grows close to the ground. It looks like tiny cups and loves to live in damp places like forests and gardens.

Habitat: Forests

Appearance

The Crescent-cup liverwort has a flat, ribbon-like body (thallus) that is bright to dark green and often shiny. It features distinctive crescent-shaped cups on its upper surface, which are crucial for its unique reproduction. These cups make it visually stand out from many other small ground-covering plants.

KingdomPlantaePhylumMarchantiophytaClassMarchantiopsidaOrderLunularialesFamilyLunulariaceaeGenusLunularia
Crescent-cup liverwort
nonvascular trait badgeshade_tolerant trait badgespore_producing trait badgeancient_lineage trait badge
Crescent-cup liverwort

Category

Plants

Rarity

Common

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Snaps

4

Interesting facts

Crescent-cup liverwort is one of the oldest types of land plants on Earth!

It needs water for its male reproductive cells to swim and find female parts!

Its tiny 'gemmae' are like miniature clones, ready to sprout into new plants!

These fascinating plants can thrive in many places, even inside your greenhouse!

Special abilities

Ability

Splash-Cup Reproducer

Crescent-cup liverwort has tiny gemma cups that splash out plantlets when raindrops hit them, spreading new plants!

Ability

Direct Water Absorber

It can absorb water directly through its entire surface, allowing it to thrive in damp places without true roots.

Ability

Anchorless Survivor

Crescent-cup liverwort has simple rhizoids (not true roots) that just help it anchor, letting it live on rocks or bark.

Measurements & details

Height
0.5-2 cm
Spread
1-5 cm
Edible
No
Toxicity
None
Lifecycle
Perennial
Pollination Method
Water

Ecological connections

Traits

Also known as

No aliases listed yet.

Collections

Safety

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Always look but don't touch plants unless you know they are safe.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to identify Crescent-cup liverwort?

The easiest way to identify Crescent-cup liverwort is to use the Snappit nature identifier app.

How tall is Crescent-cup liverwort?

0.5-2 cm

How wide does Crescent-cup liverwort spread?

1-5 cm

Is Crescent-cup liverwort edible?

No

Is Crescent-cup liverwort toxic?

None

What is Crescent-cup liverwort's lifecycle?

Perennial

How is Crescent-cup liverwort pollinated?

Water

Where is Crescent-cup liverwort usually found?

Forests

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