Marchophyta

Marchophyta is a proposed phylum of plants that encompasses liverworts. Liverworts are small, non-vascular plants found in moist environments worldwide. They are characterized by their flattened, lobed thalli, which are typically a few centimeters across, or by small, leafy structures arranged in two or three rows. Unlike mosses, liverworts usually lack a central stem-like structure and have simpler leaf arrangements. They reproduce both asexually, often through gemmae produced in cup-like structures, and sexually, with distinct male and female gametangia.

The term Marchophyta is derived from Marchantiopsida, a class within the Bryophyta, the broader phylum of mosses, liverworts, and hornworts. While liverworts have traditionally been classified within Bryophyta, molecular phylogenetic studies have suggested that they represent a distinct evolutionary lineage. The recognition of Marchophyta as a separate phylum would elevate liverworts to a taxonomic rank equivalent to the mosses (Bryophyta) and hornworts (Anthocerotophyta), reflecting their unique evolutionary history. This classification is still under discussion and not universally adopted by all botanists.