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Heteroscyphus is a large genus of leafy liverworts with 34
representative species in Tasmania. Some species of the genus may be
difficult to differentiate from the related Chiloscyphus and
require examining fertile material to confirm generic identity. In
previous literature many members of this genus used to be called
Chiloscyphus. As
a whole, many of the common Heteroscyphus spp. tend to be
larger than Chiloscyphus and the leaves of the former are
more consistently continuous with the both sides of the underleaves, although this
character also occurs occasionally in Chiloscyphus (eg. C.
leucophyllus). More
specifically, the gynoecia (female sexual organs) of
Heteroscyphus always occur on short specialized branches arising
from the side of a shoot whereas those of Chiloscyphus mostly
arise from unspecialized leafy shoots.
The cells of Heteroscyphus often have large trigones (cellular wall thickenings) and
granular oil bodies.
Heteroscyphus coalitus and H. fissistipus appear to
be among the most common species in wet forest. H. cymbaliferus (previously
Tetracymbaliella cymbalifera) occurs in higher altitude areas
and is unique in
having water sacs appended to the leaves and underleaves.
Molecular evidence suggests that Heteroscyphus may in the
future be treated under an expanded concept of Chiloscyphus.
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