The Liverworts of Wilton Lodge Park Hawick

[fredg]

The three species of Liverwort that I've so far found in Wilton Lodge Park, Hawick, starting from the waterfall of the Cala Burn downstream.
Lunularia cruciata inhabits the section nearest to the waterfall and then it's the turn of Conocephalum conicum. The latter covers a larger expanse on both sides of the burn, slowly petering out as the terrain opens out and overhead cover decreases. Marchantia polymorpha is the furthest downstream and is in the most open situation, occupying a flat area just to the side of the burn but not actually on its banks.
Finally a bonus Lichen that shouted at me as I returned to the car.

 

[theplantman]

Purty! Nature thanks you for being one of the few to appreciate the underdog plants. I like to think of liverworts as little crinkled up green sheets of paper. And on a slightly more profound note, you just simply cannot beat the incredible story they represent. One of natural history, the struggle for colonization of land, and survival through cataclysmic environmental change.

 

[SubRosa]

Sounds like the title of a new BBC sitcom!

 

[fredg]

I've never known a BBC sitcom with that good a story line

 

[theplantman]

Love how the Brits talk nature--and write gardening books, for that matter! So fancy. Everybody's garden has an eloquent title. I need one for my stuff. "The Garden Beds of Plantley Yard?" "The Vegetation of Kevingtonforthshire Court."

 

[fredg]

I acquired a specimen of Marchantia polymorpha a week or so ago from the local nursery I get my sphagnum moss peat from. I love the expression in their eyes when you ask permission to appropriate some. It's a sort of " Oh Gz! Where did I leave the taser and straitjacket". I did compliment them on growing such cracking Liverworts too.

Now if you ask why I wanted a sample of their particular plant. It had both male and female reproductive organs evident, unlike my other specimens which only appear to display the one sex. Also the reproductive organs of both sexes were of somewhat ample proportions. I believe the term is "rather well endowed"