Liverworts or liver plants are those moss-like plants or gametophytes with liver-shaped leaves.
(i) They are gametophytic plants. The body is thallus in nature.
(ii) Their genitalia are located on the surface of the thallus. Pungdhani is pear shaped and stridhani is flask shaped.
(iii) They are small independent plants. Less than 10 cm in length and 2-20 mm in width.
(iv) They are widespread all over the world. It has 6,000 species in polar, desert and humid regions.
(v) They grow on soil, sand, stone, tree or any object.
A few liverworts- Riccia huebeneriana, Marchantia polymoroha, Asterella californica, Ricciocarpus natans.