The Marchantiophyta are a division of non-vascular land plants commonly referred to as hepatics or liverworts. Like mosses and hornworts, they have a gametophyte-dominant life cycle, in which cells of the plant carry only a single set of genetic information.
Metzgeriales is an order of liverworts. The group is sometimes called the simple thalloid liverworts: "thalloid" because the members lack structures resembling stems or leaves, and "simple" because their tissues are thin and relatively undifferentiated. All species in the order have a small gametophyte stage and a smaller, relatively short-lived, spore-bearing stage. Although these plants are almost entirely restricted to regions with high humidity or readily available moisture, the group as a whole is widely distributed, and occurs on every continent except Antarctica.
Takakia is a genus of two species of mosses known from western North America and central and eastern Asia. The genus is placed as a separate family, order and class among the mosses. It has had a history of uncertain placement, but the discovery of sporophytes clearly of the moss-type firmly supports placement with the mosses.
Monosolenium tenerum is a weedy species of liverwort found in east Asia. It is the only species in the genus Monosolenium and the family Monosoleniaceae.
Cavicularia densa is the only species in the liverwort genus Cavicularia. The species was first described in 1897 by Franz Stephani, and is endemic to Japan, where it grows on fine moist soil.
Blasiaceae is a family of liverworts with only two species: Blasia pusilla and Cavicularia densa. The family has traditionally been classified among the Metzgeriales, but molecular cladistics suggests a placement at the base of the Marchantiopsida.
Treubiaceae is a family of liverworts in the order Treubiales. Species are large and leafy, and were previously classified among the Metzgeriales.
Haplomitriopsida is a newly recognized class of liverworts comprising fifteen species in three genera. Recent cladistic analyses of nuclear, mitochondrial, and plastid gene sequences place this monophyletic group as the basal sister group to all other liverworts. The group thus provides a unique insight into the early evolution of liverworts in particular and of land plants in general.
Blasiales is an order of liverworts with a single living family and two species. The order has traditionally been classified among the Metzgeriales, but molecular cladistics suggests a placement at the base of the Marchantiopsida.
Phyllothallia is a small genus of liverworts of the Southern Hemisphere. It is classified in the order Pallaviciniales and is the only member of the family Phyllothalliaceae within that order. Unlike most members of the Metzgeriales, Phyllothallia has a leafy appearance. The genus has a disjunct distribution, with the species Phyllothallia nivicola found in New Zealand while the other species in the genus, Phyllothallia fuegiana, occurs in Tierra del Fuego.
Sandeothallus is a small genus of liverworts restricted to East Asia. It is classified in order Pallaviciniales and is the only member of the family Sandeothallaceae within that order.
Ptilidium is a genus of liverwort, and is the only genus in family Ptilidiaceae. It includes only three species: Ptilidium californicum, Ptilidium ciliare, and Ptilidium pulcherrimum. The genus is distributed throughout the arctic and subarctic, with disjunct populations in New Zealand and Tierra del Fuego. Molecular analysis suggests that the genus has few close relatives and diverged from other leafy liverworts early in their evolution.
Pseudolepicoleaceae is a family of liverworts in the order Jungermanniales.
Trichotemnoma is a genus of liverworts restricted to New Zealand and Tasmania, and contains a single species Trichotemnoma corrugatum. It is classified in the order Jungermanniales and is the only member of the family Trichotemnomataceae within that order. The generic name Trichotemnona was originally published in 1964, but that publication was invalid under the ICBN.
Vetaforma is a genus of liverworts found only in Argentina and Chile, and contains a single species Vetaforma dusenii. It is classified in order Jungermanniales and is the only member of the family Vetaformataceae within that order. The genus and family names were originally published in 1960, but this publication was invalid under Article 36.1 of the ICBN.
Neotrichocoleaceae is a family of liverworts in order Ptilidiales. It is closely related to the genera Ptilidium and Herzogianthus.
Calycularia is the only genus of liverwort in the family Calyculariaceae. It was formerly included within the Allisoniaceae, and it includes only two species.
Riella is a genus in the liverwort family Riellaceae, and includes about eighteen species. Plants in the genus are small and grow submerged in shallow temporary pools. Although the genus is widely distributed in the Northern Hemisphere, locating populations is often difficult. Its occurrence is sporadic and local, and the tiny plants are ephemeral. The ornamented spores remain viable for several years, allowing the plants to survive annual drying of their habitat. The plants are easily grown in laboratory cultures.
Marsupidium epiphytum is a liverwort species in the genus Marsupidium from the New Zealand.
Epibryon is a genus of fungi, and the sole genus in the monogeneric family Epibryaceae. It has about 40 species. Many of the species grow parasitically on bryophytes. The genus was circumscribed by mycologist Peter Döbbeler in 1978; the family by Soili Stenroos and Cecile Gueidan in 2014.
