Marsilea

 Scientific Name: Marsilea villosa
 Systematic Position:
Division: Pteridophyta
Class : Leptosporangiopsida
Order : Marsileales
Family: Marseliaceae
Genus: Marsilea
 Common Name: Water clover, Four-leaf clover
 Marsilea Sporocarp:
 Marsilea is heterosporous, i.e. it produces two types of spores-microspores and
megaspores.
 These spores are produced in microsporangia and megasporangia.
 These sporangia are brought in a special type of spore-producing organ called
sporocarp.
 The sporocarp are borne laterally on the peduncle of leaf either near the base or a little
higher up.
 Each sporocarp is a flat structure, in the form of oval or bean-shaped biconvex
structures.
 It is green and soft when young, but when mature, it becomes very hard and brown.
 It consists of a short stalk-like structure known as peduncles and body.
 The point of attachment of the peduncle to the body is called raphe.
 Sources: University Botany-I by S.M. Reddy.