Lunularia cruciata (L.) Dumort. ex Lindb.

  • Authority

    Bischler, Hélène, et al. 2005. Marchantiidae. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 97: 1--262. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Lunulariaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Lunularia cruciata (L.) Dumort. ex Lindb.

  • Type

    Type. Europe (syntype OXF, n.v.).

  • Synonyms

    Preissia cucullata Nees & Mont., Lunularia thaxteri A.Evans & Herzog, Marchantia cruciata L., Lunularia cruciata subsp. thaxteri (A.Evans & Herzog) R.M.Schust.

  • Description

    Species Description - Thallus 4-13 mm wide, light green, sometimes tinged with purple. Branching dichotomous and apical. Epidermal cells thin- or thick-walled. Epidermal pores simple, with 3-5 concentric rings of 3-17 cells, with hyaline inner ring, radial walls thin or thickened. Air chambers in 1 layer, with chlorophyllose filaments. Basal tissue without mucilage cavities. Ventral scales hyaline or purplish, in 2 rows, with oil cells and marginal papillae and 1 large, basally constricted reniform appendage. Asexual reproduction by discoid gemmae in crescent-shaped gemma cups with entire margins. Dioecious. Antheridia in terminal, elliptical receptacles, bounded by a membrane, without scales. Archegonia 2-8 per archegonial cavity, in terminal, 4-lobed cushions bounded by white, involute scales. Archegoniophore stalk elongating at time of spore maturity, without assimilatory strip and without rhizoid furrow, with scales; receptacle 4-lobed, very reduced, without epidermal pores and assimilatory layer. Calyptrae 2- to 4-layered after fertilization. Involucres 4, tubular. Pseudoperianth absent. Sporophytes 1-3 per involucre, with massive, shortly elongating seta (2-3 times capsule length). Capsules opening by a lid and 4 regular valves to capsule bottom, walls without annular thickenings. Spore/elater ratio more than 4:1. Spores 5000-6000 per capsule, 14-22 µm diam., proximal and distal faces faintly tuberculate, trilete scar indistinct. Elaters with 2-3 helical bands. Gametophytic chromosome number n = 9.

  • Discussion

    The species grows in dense colonies or scattered among other thallose liverworts, on humid or wet sand, sandy clay, bare or rocky soil, overlying limestone, dolomite, tuff or other calcareous rocks, in rock crevices, at base of cliffs, in stone walls, on river-banks, in caves, in grassland, exposed or shaded by open vegetation, from 1000 to 4200 m in the tropical zone but more common below 2000 m, reaching sea level in the temperate zones. It is a colonist of human-made habitats (greenhouse weed) and might have been introduced in many areas with garden soil and plants, but it is also known from natural habitats. The species reproduces sexually very rarely and only in warmer areas.

    Lunularia cruciata is easily distinguished from all other Marchantiales by its crescent-shaped gemma cups, which are almost always present.

    The type of L. thaxteri from Chile has strongly thickened epidermal cells, purplish ventral side of thallus and purplish ventral scales, and epidermal pores bounded by fewer rings but with more cells in each ring. A plant with these characters from Madeira did not show any genetic difference with Lunularia cruciata (Boisselier-Dubayle et al., 1995a). Lunularia thaxteri is therefore treated here as a synonym. However, whether the neotropical specimens are genetically identical with the European and African representatives should be investigated.

    Distribution and ecology: Lunularia cruciata is nearly cosmopolitan, distributed worldwide from 62°N to 45°S, very common in rather warm areas but rare in the tropical belt and in zones with long, cold winters where it was most likely introduced recently. It has been recorded from Europe N to S Scandinavia, the Mediterranean area, Macaronesia, E and S Africa, the Mascarenes, in Asia from SW Asia through Afghanistan to India, Sikkim, Sri Lanka, and Japan, from Australia, and New Zealand. In N America the species has been recorded from Canada and the United States (from at least 24 states), but over most of the area, only from greenhouses. In the Neotropics, it is known from Mexico (D. F.), Bermuda (Evans, 1906), Costa Rica (Morales, 1991), Jamaica, Colombia (Cundinamarca), Bolivia (Chuquisaca, Cochabamba (Stephani, 1916), La Paz, Santa Cruz, Tarija), Peru (Cuzco (Hässel de Menéndez, 1963), Huanuco (Bryan, 1929), La Libertad (Hegewald & Hegewald, 1977)), Brazil (Minas Gerais (Gradstein & Pinheiro da Costa, 2003), Rio Grande do Sul, Rio de Janeiro (Yano, 1995), São Paulo (Yano, 1995)), Chile (Biobio, Los Lagos (Herzog, 1938), O’Higgins (Montagne, 1850), Santiago, Valparaíso, Juan Fernandez), Argentina (Buenos Aires, Catamarca, Chubut, Entre Ríos, Mendoza (Hässel de Menéndez, 1963), Misiones, Neuquén, Rio Negro, Salta (Hässel de Menéndez, 1963), Tucumán), and Uruguay.

  • Distribution

    Rio Grande do Sul Brazil South America| Distrito Federal Mexico North America| Uruguay South America| Catamarca Argentina South America| Chubut Argentina South America| Neuquén Argentina South America| Entre Ríos Argentina South America| Buenos Aires Argentina South America| Rio Negro Argentina South America| Santiago Chile South America| Valparaíso Chile South America| Misiones Argentina South America| Biobío Chile South America| Tucuman Argentina South America| Chile South America| Chuquisaca Bolivia South America| La Paz Bolivia South America| Santa Cruz Bolivia South America| Tarija Bolivia South America| Florida Uruguay South America| Lavalleja Uruguay South America| Tacuarembó Uruguay South America| Cundinamarca Colombia South America| Saint Andrew Jamaica South America| Juan Fernández Islands Chile South America|