Classification and Structure of Marchantia

                                                                Marchantia

Systematic Position :-

                                    Kingdom – Plantae

                                             Division   -  Bryophyta

                                              Class      -Hepaticopsida

                                              Order      - Marchantiales

                                           Family    - Marchanteaece

General Characters:-

(a) Male Gametophyte    (b) Female Gametophyte

External Feature of Dorsal view

Shows prominent midrib at the apex of which growing point is situated

      Branch Dichotomously at the Apex.

Thalli also show cup like structure structure (Gemma Cups)

Gemma cup encloses a number of gemmae meant for asexual reproduction.

 Sex organs are borne on special upright branches attached to dorsal surface near apical notch.

General Characters :-

Shows median longitudinal groove.

Rhizoids and scales are present.

Rhizoids may be smooth walled or tuberculated

Scales arranged in 2-4 rows on each side of mid rib.

General Characters :-

Epidermal regions: Dorsal and Ventral epidermis.

Photosynthetic (Assimilatory) Zone: Layers of chlorenchyma chlorenchyma below the dorsal epidermis epidermis.

The photosynthetic cells are slightly columnar and there is a lot of air space between the cells (Aerenchyma).

    Storage Zone: In ventral region, subtends the chlorenchyma.

Asexual reproduction :-

Fragmentation: Occurs by death and decay of posterior portion of thallus.

Adventitious branches: Develop on any part of thallus, separate and grow into new plant.

By Gemmae: Gemmae are produced inside cup shaped gemma cups. These cups are produced on dorsal surface of thallus close to growing apex, along midrib.

Sexual reproduction :-

Oogamous type

All species are dioecious.

Sex organs: antheridia (male) and archegonia (female).

Antheridia borne on antheridiophor.

Archegonia borne on archegoniophore.

Sex organs appear once a year in April-May.

Sexual reproduction

Ø  Antheridiophore is differentiated into Stalk and Disc.

Ø  Disc is 8-lobed, each representing a single branch of thallus.

Ø  Disc is thick in middle and thin towards periphery.

Ø  It resembles thallus and divided into air chambers alternating with antheridial chambers.

Ø  Antheridia are borne inside antheridial chambers.

Ø  They are arranged in 8-radiating rows on dorsal (upper) surface of disc, reach row representing a single branch of thallus.

Ø  Mature Antheridium is differentiated into Stalk and Body.

Ø  Body has a single layered jacket, encloses large number of androcytes which metamorphore into anthrozoids.

Ø  Antheridia dehisce in presence of water.

 Sterile jacket imbibes water and antherozoids ooze out in mass and swim in water film.

Archegonia:-

Ø  Also called Carpocephallum.

.Ø  Stalk is short and elongates after fertilization.

Ø  Disc is 8-lobed directed away from centre.

Ø  Archegonia develops on upper surface of disc in acropetal (youngest archegonium is near growing point of lobe and oldest in the centre of disc) succession in 8-rows.

Ø  Each row represent single lobe of thallus and bears 12-18 archegonia.

Ø  After fertilization, stalk elongates, central portion of disc buldges out pushing archegonia at periphery.

Ø  It results in complete hanging (downward) of archegonia.

Ø  It shifts youngest archegonia to reach near stalk and oldest and fertilized towards periphery.

Ø  Intercalary growth occurs between fertile lobes which results in formation of radially elongated green outgrowths called RAYS.

Ø  Internal structure of disc shows photosynthetic zone consists of air chambers.

Ø  The archegonia are arranged in 8-radiating rows on lower surface of disc.

Ø  Archegonia are inverted and hand downward from tissue of disc.

Ø  Each archegonia has an extra sheath called PERIGYNIUM

Ø  Each group of archegonia are enclosed in 2-lipped involucres called PERICHAETIUM.

Ø  Mature archegonium is flask shaped consists of stalk, venter and long neck.

Ø  In mature archegonium, neck canala cells and venter canal cells disintigrate and become mucilagenous which absorbs water and put pressure so as to get separated.

Fertilization :-

Ø  Occurs in presence of water.

Ø  Male and female thalli of Marchantia grow in close compact masses.

Ø  The antherozoids (biflagellated)swim in cavity of disc of antheridiophores.

Ø  The antherozoids fall on disc of archegoniophore and flows down to its neck and fuses with egg.

Ø  Haploid nucleus of antherozoids fuses with haploid nucleus of egg and forms zygote.

Ø  The zygote is the first cell of sporophytic generation.

The Sporophyte :-

Ø  Each sporophyte is divided into FOOT, SETA and CAPSULE

Ø  The archegonia are ranged in 8-radiating rows on lower surface of disc.

Ø  Archegonia Archegonia are inverted inverted and hand downward downward from tissue of disc.

Ø  Foot, which both anchors the sporophyte in place and receives nutrients from its "mother" plant.

Ø  Seta (stalk), which lies between the other two regions regions and connects connects them.

Ø  Capsule, inside which the spores are produced for dispersing to new locations,Ø  • At maturity, the sporophyte the seta elongates, pushing its way out of the archegonium and rupturing it.