Ricciocarpos natans

Habitat

Ricciocarpos natans is a floating aquatic or terrestrial liverwort. Ricciocarpos natans lives on quiet eutrophic fresh water, or the mud where water recedes.


Gametophyte

Overall Structure:

Ricciocarpos natans has a bright green thallus that is hepatic shaped.

Many purple scales are found on the underside aid in floating of thallus.

The reproductive structures are embedded within the thallus.  Note antheridia in this thallus.

Male Gametophyte:

 

 

There is no antheridiophore.  Antheridia are embedded on the dorsal side of the thallus.

 

 

 

 

Female Gametophyte:

 

 

There is also no archegoniophore.  Archegonia are embedded within the dorsal side of the thallus.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Sporophyte

 

Sporophytes are simple in comparison to sporophytic generations of other species.  Sporophytes are internal and have no seta.