Ricciocarpus

Scientific name

Ricciocarpus Corda

Common names

purple-fringed riccia

Family

Ricciaceae

Similar genera

Riccia

Native distribution

cosmopolitancosmopolitan:
(adj) essentially worldwide in distribution

Species cultivated

Ricciocarpus natans (L.) Corda

Adventive distribution

information not available

Weed status

an occasional minor weed in rice fields

Habit

free-floating

Brief description

Liverwort (nonvascular plant). Annual or short-lived perennialperennial:
(adj) (of a plant) having a life cycle of more than two years
. Thallusthallus:
(n) a photosynthetic plant body that is not (or apparently not) differentiated into stems, roots, and leaves
free-floating, fleshy, dorsoventrally flattened, dichotomously dividing, with distinct longitudinal furrow along dorsaldorsal:
(adj) (1) of the back of an organ or the side turned away from the axis (syn. abaxial) (compare ventral); (2) in thallose plants (e.g. liverworts); of the upper surface
surface. Underside bearing distinct elongate, dark brown to purple scalescale:
(n) any thin, usually small and dry, membranous to leathery bract
-like rhizoids. Sporangiasporangium:
(n) (pl. sporangia) a unicellular or multicellular sac or structure that produces spores
along dorsaldorsal:
(adj) (1) of the back of an organ or the side turned away from the axis (syn. abaxial) (compare ventral); (2) in thallose plants (e.g. liverworts); of the upper surface
furrow, spores rarely produced. Dispersal mostly by dividing thallusthallus:
(n) a photosynthetic plant body that is not (or apparently not) differentiated into stems, roots, and leaves
.

Natural habitat

still waters of rivers, lakes, and swamps

Additional comments

A genus of two species, one aquatic. Ricciocarpus natans is commonly associated with nutrient-rich water, and usually found in full sunlight.