Sphaerocarpos texanus

Sphaerocarpos texanus, the Texas balloonwort,^[2] is a species of liverwort in the Sphaerocarpaceae family, found in the Americas, northern Africa and Europe.

Sphaerocarpos texanus
Female plants of Sphaerocarpos texanus bearing mature sporophytes
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Marchantiophyta
Class:	Marchantiopsida
Order:	Sphaerocarpales
Family:	Sphaerocarpaceae
Genus:	Sphaerocarpos
Species:	S. texanus
Binomial name
Sphaerocarpos texanus Aust.[1]
Synonyms
Sphaerocarpus berterii Aust., 1873 Sphaerocarpus californicus Aust., 1879 Sphaerocarpus europaeus Lorbeer, 1934 Sphaerocarpus terrestris Bisch., 1827

Description

Sphaerocarpos texanus are small, thalloid, dioecious liverworts.^[3] The species is sexually dimorphic, with male plants usually 3–5 mm in diameter, females up to 12 mm in diameter.^[4] Both male (bearing antheridia) and female (bearing archegonia) plants are bright green, with the thallus branching up to several times.^[3] The plant is a winter annual, appearing in autumn and dying in spring.^[4] Notably, the spores occur in sets of four, called tetrads. Unlike most other species of liverwort, the spores stay in these tetrads until they germinate.^[3][4]

Habitat

The plant is found on flat, lightly shaded soil. Usually by roadsides.^[3]

Distribution

Sphaerocarpos texanus has a wide range, probably the widest of any species in its genus. It has been found on several continents, in the United States, Uruguay, England, Germany, France and Morocco.^[3]