Definition

Noun: * A common liverwort: Marchantia polymorpha is the scientific name for a widespread species of non-vascular, thalloid liverwort. It is often found in damp, shaded environments like riverbanks, greenhouses, and recently burned soil.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The biology class studied the reproductive structures of Marchantia polymorpha under the microscope.
  • A dense mat of Marchantia polymorpha covered the moist soil in the forest.
  • This genus, Marchantia, contains several species, with polymorpha being the most common.

Advanced Usage

• In botanical and ecological contexts, the full binomial name is used for precise scientific identification. The genus name () is always capitalized, while the species epithet () is not.
• The common name "common liverwort" or "umbrella liverwort" (referring to the shape of its reproductive structures) is often used interchangeably with the scientific name in less formal scientific writing.

Variants and Related Words

• Liverwort (n): The common name for the broader group of non-vascular plants in the division Marchantiophyta, to which belongs.
• Thallus (n): The flattened, leaf-like vegetative body of a liverwort like , which is not differentiated into true stems and leaves.
• Gemmae (n): Small, multicellular reproductive structures produced in gemma cups on the thallus of for asexual reproduction.

Synonyms

• Common liverwort
• Umbrella liverwort

Different Meanings

• This term has only one specific meaning as the scientific name for a particular species of plant. It is not used idiomatically or in other contexts.

Noun

1. a common liverwort