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Dr Matt Renner Photo Jaime Plaza
Liverwort research by Dr Matt Renner has found 11 new species, including 2 species new to Australia.
Dr Matt Renner Photo Jaime Plaza
Liverworts are flowerless, spore-producing plants often mistaken for mosses, even by botanists, as many species are ‘leafy’. Usually found in high rainfall areas, there are over 9000 species. Dr Renner says “Along with mosses they contribute to nutrient cycles, provide seed beds for larger plants and are vitally important characteristic components of cloud forests.”
Dr Renner, is based at the Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney, and his fieldwork over the next three years will be supported by a grant from the Australian Biological Research Study scheme. The fieldwork will extend over much of eastern Australia, from tropical rainforests to the cool-temperate forests of Tasmania.
“Liverworts have many important ecological qualities and there is potential for pharmaceutical application” Dr Renner said. “Liverworts are also packed full of organic compounds that show promising biological activity, including antifungal, antimicrobial and muscle relaxing properties, as well as cytotoxicity against some human tumour cells, and antiviral properties including against HIV. The active chemical compounds occur within ‘oil-bodies’ an unusual cellular structure unique to liverworts.”
Liverworts were first described and named back in the 15th century, when herbalists believed the plant resembled a liver and therefore it could cure diseases of the liver. In Old English, the word liverwort means liver plant.
