Sphaerocarpos texanus, the Texas balloonwort,[1] is a species of liverwort in the Sphaerocarpaceae family, found in the Americas, northern Africa and Europe.
Sphaerocarpos texanus are small, thalloid, dioecious liverworts.[2] The species is sexually dimorphic, with male plants usually 3–5 mm in diameter, females up to 12 mm in diameter.[3] Both male (bearing antheridia) and female (bearing archegonia) plants are bright green, with the thallus branching up to several times.[2] The plant is a winter annual, appearing in autumn and dying in spring.[3] Notably, the spores occur in sets of four, called tetrads. Unlike most other species of liverwort, the spores stay in these tetrads until they germinate.[2] [3]
The plant is found on flat, lightly shaded soil. Usually by roadsides.[2]
Sphaerocarpos texanus has a wide range, probably the widest of any species in its genus. It has been found on several continents, in the United States, Uruguay, England, Germany, France and Morocco.[2]