http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/spikewill.../whatsthis.jpg

It looks like some kind of succulent, and it has "octopus suckers" on the
leaves. Looks like some kind of alien plant.

Is it a problem, or should I leave it?

TIA

Bob

In article ,
"Bob Smith" writes:
|
| http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/spikewill.../whatsthis.jpg
|
| It looks like some kind of succulent, and it has "octopus suckers" on the
| leaves. Looks like some kind of alien plant.

Moss. I kid you not. The haploid stage looks completely different.

| Is it a problem, or should I leave it?

You may as well leave it.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

They're liverworts, primitive plants allied to mosses. The "octopus suckers"
are the fruiting bodies that will release spores. Liverworts don't really do
any damage but they can become very abundant and may make watering from
above rather difficult. A little touch of iron sulphate, just half a pinch
on the surface, will knock them back.

Geoff Bryant
www.hortiphoto.com


"Bob Smith" wrote in message
...

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/spikewill.../whatsthis.jpg

It looks like some kind of succulent, and it has "octopus suckers" on the
leaves. Looks like some kind of alien plant.

Is it a problem, or should I leave it?

TIA

Bob

"Geoff Bryant" wrote in message
...
They're liverworts, primitive plants allied to mosses. The "octopus
suckers"
are the fruiting bodies that will release spores. Liverworts don't really
do
any damage but they can become very abundant and may make watering from
above rather difficult. A little touch of iron sulphate, just half a pinch
on the surface, will knock them back.


Thanks for the replies.

Where do I get iron sulphate? Gardening centre, or a chemists? I have
noticed liquid fertiliser kills ordinary moss in plant pots, would this do
the trick?

Bob

"Bob Smith" wrote in message
...

"Geoff Bryant" wrote in message
...
They're liverworts, primitive plants allied to mosses. The "octopus
suckers"
are the fruiting bodies that will release spores. Liverworts don't
really
do
any damage but they can become very abundant and may make watering from
above rather difficult. A little touch of iron sulphate, just half a
pinch
on the surface, will knock them back.


Thanks for the replies.

Where do I get iron sulphate? Gardening centre, or a chemists? I have
noticed liquid fertiliser kills ordinary moss in plant pots, would this do
the trick?

Bob
---------------
This is a relatively common Liverwort's gametophyte with some of the
potential gemmae showing in the 'cups'---Specific name ~'lunaria' due to the
cup shapes seen. Liverworts' sporophytes are like miniature fungi.
It can only grow in very moist places as the gametes travel through
water.
Simple drying or disturbance would destroy them. They are only a nuisance
in over-watered greenhouses and pots. They do no damage. Poisoning is a
trifle OTT. They have no roots.
Brian.

"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...

In article ,
"Bob Smith" writes:
|
| http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/spikewill.../whatsthis.jpg
|
| It looks like some kind of succulent, and it has "octopus suckers" on
the
| leaves. Looks like some kind of alien plant.

Moss. I kid you not. The haploid stage looks completely different.

| Is it a problem, or should I leave it?

You may as well leave it.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.
-------------------
This is the haploid stage and more primitive than mosses. You
probably meant 'diploid'?
Brian.