Lunularia cruciata (L.) Dum.

Japanese: ミカヅキゼニゴケ（英語表記）Lunularia cruciata (L.) Dum.

A single species of liverwort in the family Marchantialaceae. It is distributed worldwide, but is not found in mountainous areas in Japan, and grows in colonies on the ground or on stone walls around houses. In recent years, it has spread rapidly, especially in urban areas, and displays an ecology similar to that of an introduced plant, which is rare among mosses. The plant body is leaf-like, 1.5-2 cm long and 5-8 mm wide, leathery, green, and slightly glossy. It produces a crescent-shaped, concave gemma near the tip of the thallus, within which numerous flat, drum-shaped gemma develop. It is dioecious, but no female plants have been found in Japan, and it is thought to reproduce exclusively by agenetic germaphs.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

ミカヅキゼニゴケ科の1属1種の苔類。世界に広く分布するが，日本では山地に見いだされず，人家の周辺の土上や石垣上に群生する。近年，都会を中心に急速に分布を広げ，コケ植物には珍しい帰化植物的な生態を示す。植物体は葉状で長さ1.5～2cm，幅5～8mm，革質で緑色，ややつやがある。葉状体の先端近くに三日月形のくぼんだ無性芽器を生じ，その中に多数の扁平なつづみ形の無性芽ができる。雌雄異株であるが，日本では雌株は未発見で，もっぱら無性芽によって繁殖しているものと思われる。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

<<: Closterium (crescent moonweed) - Closterium

>>: Crescent moon