Liverwort 6

This leafy liverwort was collected in a box canyon on a limestone outcropping near Lake Belton Texas. It was high above a stream. It grew in thick mats with thick "root-like" structures which were actually the older dead parts of the plant. This dead material has the capability of absorbing water, providing a stable base, and aiding in the decomposition of the substrata. Notice the dichotomous branching in the image to the right.