Plants

Liverworts (e.g.Pleurozia purpurea)

The liverworts are a large group of primitive plants closely related to the mosses and often only differentiated by the branching patterns of their leaves. They range from the microscopic to those with stems of 16cm or more. They inhabit a range of wetlands including fens, raised and blanket bogs and often grow discreetly amongst the Sphagnum mosses of wet hollows. Pleurozia purpurea is one of the most easily recognised liverworts in Ireland with purple or red leafy shoots. Pleurozia purpurea is widespread on western atlantic blanket bogs.