Lehtisammalit

Lehtisammalit is a Finnish term referring to leafy liverworts, a group of bryophytes belonging to the division Marchantiophyta. These plants are distinguished by their leaf-like structures, though these are not true leaves in the botanical sense. Unlike mosses, which have distinct stems and leaves, leafy liverworts often have a flattened, thalloid body or a stem-like axis with delicate, simple leaf-like appendages.

Leafy liverworts are typically small and grow in moist, shady environments. They are found worldwide, often colonizing surfaces such as soil, rocks, tree bark, and decaying wood. Their reproduction is primarily asexual, through fragmentation, or sexual, involving the production of spores. The gametophyte generation is dominant in their life cycle.

These plants play a role in their ecosystems by contributing to soil formation, stabilizing substrates, and providing microhabitats for small invertebrates. While not extensively studied for direct human use, they are important components of the biodiversity in their habitats. Identification of leafy liverworts can be challenging, often requiring microscopic examination of their reproductive structures and leaf arrangements.