Lunularia is a genus of liverworts whose only species is Lunularia cruciata, the crescent-cup liverwort. Lunularia is either the only genus in the order Lunulariales, or may be placed in the order Marchantiales. The name, from Latin luna, moon, refers to the moon-shaped gemma cups.

Description

Lunularia cruciata grows large, dichotomously branched green thalli with crescent shaped gemma cups containing disc-like gemmae. It is also common in California, where it now grows "wild", and is known as an introduced weed in gardens and greenhouses in Australia. Ella Orr Campbell believed that L. cruciata was introduced into New Zealand sometime after 1867. The sporophytes of L. cruciata are rare, but has been found in European regions, as well as in South Africa, Argentina, California, India, Japan and New Zealand. It can act as a nutrient indicator because it often grows in alkaline and eutrophic to highly eutrophic soil. Cadmium in this liverwort also inhibits gemma germination and apical thallus growth, as well as altering cell and chloroplast structure. Acetone extracts from L. cruciata were tested and showed antibacterial properties, but had no effects against fungal activity.

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