Bryophyte of the week

Dumortiera hirsuta (Sw.) Nees

PHYLUM: MARCHANTIOPHYTA Stotler & Crand.-Stotl.

CLASS: MARCHANTIOPSIDA Cronquist, Takht. & W.Zimm.

SUB CLASS: MARCHANTIIDAE Engl. [

ORDER: MARCHANTIALES Limpr

FAMILY: Dumortieraceae D.G.Long

GENUS: Dumortiera Nees

Thallus weakly differentiated into layers, with vestigial air chambers and air pores absent or few near the thallus apex, simple when present; ventral scales in 2 rows, without appendages; rhizoids dimorphic, sometimes modified as bristles; idioblastic oil cells few; perigonial chambers on stalked receptacles, with the receptacles lacking air pores and the stalk with 2 rhizoid furrows; sporophytes on stalked receptacles, with the receptacles bearing a few open air chambers and the stalk with 2 rhizoid furrows; involucres tubular, bristly, opening by a slit; pseudoperianths absent; seta remaining short; capsule dehiscence by irregular valves; specialised asexual structures absent.

          Female receptacles                                                                                   Male receptacles