62 



LIVERWORTS 



archegonia. The archegonium is flask-shaped and the female 

 cell is contained in the enlarged part or venter. 



Sporophyte. The sporophyte is inconspicuous in most 

 species. In the lowest forms it consists of a mass of spores 

 and with no sterile tissue, but in the higher forms, as 



FIG. 29.Hepaticoe. 



Gemma developing into a thallus by lateral growth 

 in two directions. 



Marchantia, the sporophyte has sterile tissue or elators and 

 spores. In Anthoceros the sporophyte is highly differentiated 

 having a foot which absorbs food from the gametophyte, the 

 spore-formation being restricted to a special region; and the 

 sporophyte contains assimilative tissue and stomata which 

 enable it to manufacture part of its food. 



