Liverworts can be very challenging to identify as many are very small, it is highly recommended to us a hand lens or microscope to aid in identification. If your liverwort fits the description of 1a. click the species name which appears in blue to continue to the species page. If your liverwort does not fit that description move on and read 1b.

1a. Leaves appear whole but under greater magnification leaves are highly dissected into strands of cells—Trichocolea tomentella

1b. Leaves are whole.

2a. Liverworts stem appears as a “y”, approximately halfway of the stems length divides into 2 stems—3.

2b. Liverworts stem is not divided—4.

3a. Liverwort is missing leaves along the stem, under-leaves are have 4 blunt teeth—Bazzania denudata.

3b. Liverwort is not readily missing leaves, under-leaves are segmented 4 or more times (most common liverwort)—Bazzania trilobata.

4a. Leaves are connected in a transversely (like a cross) or in a succubous (like shingles on a roof, upper edge of leaf is covered by the lower edge of the next leaf up) manner to the stem—5.

4b. Leaves are connected in a incubous (opposite of shingles on a roof, upper edge of the lower leaf covers the bottom edge of the next leaf up) manner to the stem—13.

5a. Under-leaves are present—6.

5b. Under-leaves are not present—8.

6a. Under-leaves divided into 4 lobes with the 2 middle ones longer—Lophocolea bidentata.

6b. Under-leaves are divided into 2 lobes—7.

7a. Under-leaves nearly divided to the base, leaves are ovate with 2 small teeth—Lophocolea heterophylla.

7b. Under-leaves divided only half of length, Leaves are ovate with no teeth—Chiloscyphus pallescens.

8a. Leaves are divided into lobes—9.

8b. Leaves are not divided into lobes—11.

9a. Leaves are divided 1/3 to 1/2  into 2 lobes—Cephalozia lunulifolia.

9b. Leaves are divided in half or more into 2 long slender lobes—10.

10a. Leaf cells are isodiametric (need microscope)—Cephalozia bicuspidata.

10b. Leaf cells are quadrate (need microscope)—Nowellia curvifolia.

11a. Leaves are bilobed with both lobes being noticeably serrated—Scapania nemorosa.

11b. Leaves are not serrated—12.

12a. Liverwort is between 2 cm to 12 cm long—Jungermannia exsertifolia.

12b. Liverwort is around 1 cm long—Jungermannia pumila.

13a. Very common moss growing in dark circular patches on living trees—Frullania Eboracensis.

13b. Found growing on soil, decaying logs/stumps, rocks, or with mosses—14.

14a. Under-leaves are 2 lobed—Kantius trichomanis.

14b. Under-leaves are 4 lobed (looks like a persons hand without the thumb)—Lepidozia reptans.