Lunularia cruciata (A thallose liverwort)
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
Species information
- Lunularia cruciata Scientific name
- A thallose liverwort Common name
- Not Sensitive
- Local native
- Non-invasive or negligible
- Up to 1110.4m Recorded at altitude
- Machine learning
Location information
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Maps
ANBG Black Mountain Bruce Ridge Bruce Ridge to Gossan Hill Bullen Range Bundanoon City Renewal Authority Area Cooma North Ridge Reserve Fadden Hills Pond Felltimber Creek NCR Ginninderry Conservation Corridor Googong Foreshore Gossan Hill Haig Park Isaacs Ridge Isaacs Ridge and Nearby Kosciuszko National Park Kowen Escarpment Lower Cotter Catchment Molonglo Gorge Molonglo River Reserve Morton National Park Mount Majura Namadgi National Park Rob Roy Range Sherwood Forest Stirling Park Sullivans Creek, Lyneham South Sullivans Creek, Turner Swamp Creek Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve Tuggeranong Hill Wingecarribee Local Government Area Wodonga -
Survey points
Point 5438 -
Places
Burra, NSW Macnamara, ACT West Wodonga, VIC
