Station C examines the liverwort plant, which is thought to have evolved from green algae approximately 350 million years ago. Liverworts require moisture to reproduce and are often found in wet areas. Key features of the liverwort examined include the cuticle, pores, and rhizoids: the cuticle is a waxy membrane that covers the plant but prevents gas exchange, so pores allow gases to pass in and out; rhizoids attach the plant to the ground but do not absorb water or nutrients like roots.
Station C Marchantia- or liverwort- is thought to be descended from la.pdf
1. Station C Marchantia, or liverwort, is thought to be descended from land plants that appeared
approximately 350 million years ago. Liverwort plants are found in moist areas because, like
green algae, they require water to reproduce. Examine the cuticle, pores, and rhizoids of the
liverwort. The cuticle is a waxy, protective membrane that covers the leaf-like structures of all
terrestrial plants. The cuticle prevents gases from entering or leaving the plant, so the liverwort
has pores, holes in the leaves, to allow for gas exchange. The pores are located on the top surface
of the cuticle. Special root-like structures called rhizoids attach the liverwort to the ground, but
they do not function to absorb water and nutrients. The rhizoids are thin projections that extend
away from the plant. Questions 1. Draw and label the pores, cuticle, and rhizoids on the liverwort
you observe on the microscope slide. 2. Why do plants need pores? 3. How do the adaptations of
the liverwort help it survive in a terrestrial environment?