English name: Star-headed liverwort
A thallose liverwort that often grows in dense mats. The dichotomously branched, thick and rigid thalli are pale or yellow-green when young, but become brown or purplish when old. On the upper surface of the thalli are cup-shaped gemma receptacles. Male and female plants have distinctive, stalked receptacles.
In Scotland, Marchantia polymorpha agg. is widespread except in some western areas. It is found in manmade or disturbed habitats such as gardens and churchyards, in the vicinity of rivers and in springs and flushes. BBS distribution map
Look out for Bryum dichotomum, Funaria hygrometrica and Oxyrrhynchium hians nearby.
Confusion species: Lunularia cruciata
scottishlichens.co.uk 