RICCIA

SYSTEMATIC POSITION:
DIVISION: BRYOPHYTA
CLASS: HEPATICOPSIDA
ORDER:MARCHANTIALES
FAMILY: RICCIACEAE
GENUS: RICCIA

OCCURRENCE:
• The genus was named after an Italian botanist F.F. Ricci.
• It includes more than 200 species out of which about 33 reported from india.
• All the species grow as terrestrial plants on damp (wet) soils except R. flutians which grow in
water as free floating or submerged aquatic.
THE GAMETOPHYTIC PLANT BODY

The main plant body of Riccia is gametophyte (haploid) which is usually called thallus (i.e. a
body in which true roots, true stem and true leaves are absent)
VEGETATIVE STRUCTURES:
EXTERNAL FEATURES:

• The Riccia thallus (plant body) is small, flat, dorsiventral (i.e having dorsal and ventral
surfaces), somewhat fleshy and dark green in colour.
• It grows prostrate over the substratum generally in the form of small patches called rosettes.
• The thalli are dichotomously branched.
• The dorsal surface of thallus is smooth and shows prominent mid – rib in the form of dorsal
groove.
• The median longitudinal in the form of dorsal groove.
• The median longitudinal furrow deepens at the apex forming an apical notch in which the
growing point is situated.
• The ventral surface of thallus shows the presence of a large number of rhizoids attached to
median longitudinal groove and violet coloured scales attached marginally.
• The rhizoids are of two types –
1. Smooth walled
2. Tuberculate
• Both kinds of rhizoids are tubular elongations of epidermal cells arising from lower
epidermis.

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• The important distinctions between them are –
Smooth walled rhizoids
1. Theses rhizoids are simple, tubular
elongated cells with their inner
walls smooth
2. They are living cells and contain a
colourless (hyaline) protoplasm
3. These are the organs of attachment
and mainly absorb soil and water
from the substratum
Tuberculate rhizoids
1. These rhizoids are elongated tubular
cells with prominent peg – like
projections in their inner walls
2. They are living in the beginning but
later on they become devoid of
protoplasm
3. These are the organs of attachment
and mainly give mechanical
support.

• The scales are present on the ventral surface of thallus, arranged in a transverse row.
• The scales are simple ligulate.
• The scales project and cover the growing point at the apex. Thus, they help to protect the
growing point
• Later on, due to broadening of thallus lobe the scale is torn off into two rows (i.e. one row on
each side of mid – rib along the margins).
• Each scale is simple, multicellular, membranous and one cell in thickness.
• Scales appear pink, red – violet or black in colour due to presence of a phenolic pigment
anthocyanin dissolved in their cell saps.

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INTERNAL STRUCTURE:
Internally, the thallus shows differentiation into two clear cut zones which can be seen in its
vertical transverse section.

• The section shows upper, green photosynthetic or assimilatory zone and lower, colourless
storage zone.
• The photosynthetic zone consists of compactly arranged vertical rows of chlorenchymatous
cells separated with each other by narrow vertical air chambers (air channels or air canals).
These vertical rows of cells may be regarded as assimilatory filaments.
• These cells possess numerous discoid chloroplasts and perform the process of
photosynthesis.
• The vertical air chambers are in continuation with external atmosphere through simple air –
pores formed by hyaline terminal cells of chlorophyllous filaments. Each pore is bounded by
4 to 8 terminal cells.
• The storage zone consists of compact, colourless parenchymatous tissue without intercellular
spaces.
• The photosynthesis occurs in photosynthetic zone and the product (i.e. starch) is stored in the
storage zone. These cells, therefore, contain abundant stach grains.
• The lowermost layer of this zone consists of comparatively smaller and regularly arranged
cells forming lower epidermis.
• A few cells of lower epidermis elongate to produce rhizoids.
• The scales are violet coloured, one – cell in thickness and attached to the lower epidermis.

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REPRODUCTION:

Riccia thalli start reproducing after reaching a certain of maturity. Reproduction occurs both
vegetatively and sexually.
VEGETATIVE REPRODUCTION:
The plants reproduce vegetatively by a variety of means. Some of them are:
1. Fragmentation: this method is common in all liverworts. It occurs by progressive death and
decay of posterior portion of thallus. With ageing, the older posterior portions of thalli are killed
and decayed. When decaying reaches a dichotomy, the two surviving thallus lobes become
separated and grow independently as new thalli.

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2. Formation of adventitious branches: adventitious branches arise from the underside of mid
– rib. These branches separate from parent plants and grow into new plants.

3. Formation of tubers: a few species of Riccia develop perennating tubers at the end of
growing seasons. These tubers become thick – walled and perennate the unfavourable
conditions. They resume growth in the next growing in the next growing season and develop
into new plants.

SEXUAL REPRODUCTION
Male sex organs are antheridia and archegonia. Some of the species are monoecious. (i.e.
antheridia and archegonia are formed in the same plant) whereas some are doecious (i.e.
antheridia develop on male plants and archegonia develop on female plants).
THE POSITION OF THE SEX ORGANS:
The sex organs arise singly in acropetal succession (i. e. youngest at the apex and oldest at the
base) on the dorsal surface of thallus along the median longitudinal groove. The antheridia and
archegonia are borne in separate chambers called antheridial and archegonial chambers
respectively.

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THE STRUCTURE OF MATURE ANTHERIDIUM
The mature antheridium is differentiated into two parts –
1. Stalk
2. The body of the antheridium.
• The stalk consists of few cells and attaches antheridium to the base of the antheridial
chamber.
• The body of the antheridium is oval with flat base and conical apex.
• The body consists of single layered sterile jacket enclosing a mass of androcytes.
• Each androcyte differentiates to produce single biflagellate antherozoid at maturity.

DEHISCENCE OF ANTHERIDIUM

At maturity, the pore of antheridial chamber becomes wide open through which water enters and
fills the chamber. The body of the antheridium encloses a mass of free antherozoids which float
in a viscous fluid formed by the dissolution of cell wall of anrocytes. The sterile jacket cells of
antheridium imbibe water and become softened. They disorganize and the antherozoids ooze out
in mass through an opening. Finally, they escape through the pore of antheridial chamber and
come out to the dorsal surface of the thallus. These biflagellate antherozoids swim in the film of
water present on the dorsal surface of thallus due to rain or dew. Thus the presence of water is
essential for the liberation of antherozoids.
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STRUCTURE OF ARCHEGONIUM
The mature archegonium is flask – shaped structure differentiated into three parts.
1. A short stalk
2. Swollen venter
3. A long neck
• The neck consists of a single layered tube of 6 – 9 tiers of cells arranged in 6 vertical rows,
surrounding a narrow neck canal.
• The apical part of the neck is covered by 4 cover cells.
• The globular venter consists of single layered wall of about 12 – 20 cells in perimeter. It
encloses a venter canal cell and a large egg.

FERTILIZATION

The process of fertilization occurs in presence of water provide mainly by rain or dew which
forms a film over the dosal surface of thallus. The water is needed for dehiscence of antheridia,
liberation of antherozoids, opening of archegonial neckand movement of antherozoids to
archegonia. The antherozoids, liberated from antheridia,swim in the film of water in the dorsal
furrow and spread in all directions. Some of the antherozoids reach near the archegonia. At
maturity the neck canal cells and venter canal cell disintegrates and become mucilaginous. At the
same time water enter into the archegonial chamber. The mucilaginous substance, when
hydrated, exerts a pressure so that the cover cells spread apart. A passage is created at the
opening of archegonial neck through which some of the mucilaginous substance oozes out. The
antherozoids are attracted towards some chemical substance in the mucilage. Come of the
antherozoids also enter into the neck canal. Usually a single antherozoid, which reaches first,
fuses with the egg. The fusion of antherozoid nucleus with the egg nucleus result in the
formation of diploid zygote. The gametophytic phase of the life cycle ends with the formation of
zygote.

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THE SPOROPHYTE

The zygote ids the first cell of sporophytic generation. It is diploid (2n), which is formed by the
fusion of haploid antherozoid and haploid egg. The zygote is retained inside the venter and starts
germinating. It produces diploid sporophytic plant body.

STRUCTURE OF THE MATURE SPOROGONIUM (SPOROPHYTE)

• The sporogonium is embedded centrally in the tissue of gametophyte plant body.

• It is more or less rounded, represented only by spore sac – the capsule. Foot and seta are
absent.
• The mature sporogonium consists of mass of spores enclosed within the outer layer of
calyptra.
• The jacket layer of sporogonium and inner layer of calyptras are dissolved during the
course of development. The spores are generally attached in tetrads.

The sporogonium of Riccia is considered as most primitive type. The spores are haploid and they
are the first cells of gametophytic generation.

DISPERSAL OF SPORES

There is no special means of spore dispersal. The spores are enclosed within the gametophyte
until the thallus dies and decays. After the progressive death and decay of calyptras and tissue of
thalli the spores are set free in the soil and dispersal by the wind and rain.

THE YOUNG GAMETOPHYTE

The spore: The haploid spore is the first cell of gametophytic generation. Each spore is
pyramidal or tetrahedral in shape. It consists of a mass of cytoplasm with a small haploid

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nucleus. Stored food is in the form of oil globules. The spore wall is thick black and variously
sculptured. The sculpturing helps to identify the species. The spore wall is usually differentiated
into outer exine and inner intine. The exine is hard, thick and differentiated into three (or four)
concentric layers. The intine is thin, translucent and closely appressed to exine.

SPORE GERMINATION

The spores of Riccia germinate in about 6 – 10 days after they are released from the
sporogonium. There is no resting period. The germination requires the presence of light, low
temperature and sufficient moisture.
The spores absorb moisture and swell. According to Pande (1924) and Udar (1957 – 58) a
prominent germ pore appears opposite the triradiate mark on the outer face through which a
germ tube emerges out. The germ tube elongates and becomes club – shaped. The dense
protoplasm flows through the germ tube to its distal end where the chloroplast reappears. A
transverse wall is laid down near the distal end which cuts a large terminal cell with dense
protoplasm. The first rhizoid is formed near the base of the tube. The terminal cell divides
transversely and then two intersecting vertical walls are laid down resulting in two tiers of four
cells each. One of the four cells of distal tier begins to function as apical cell with two cutting
faces. Further growth occurs by the activity of apical cell. It results in the formation of a young
flat thallus.