An upright structure consisting of a stalk and cap that bears the archegonia in certain liverworts. In Marchantia sterile raylike structures radiate from the cap giving it the appearance of a chimney sweep's brush. In Reboulia the archegoniophore is umbrella shaped. The archegonia are borne in groups on the lower surface of the cap, the groups being separated by involucral scales termed perichaetia. The stalk of the archegoniophore does not elongate until fertilization has occurred. Thus the antherozoids can swim to the archegonia before the water film between the thallus and archegoniophore is disrupted. Compare antheridiophore. |
