Anthoceros

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Anthoceros

Anthoceros punctatus L.

Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Anthocerotophyta
Class:	Anthocerotopsida
Order:	Anthocerotales
Family:	Anthocerotaceae
Genus:	Anthoceros

Species

See text.

Anthoceros is a genus of hornworts in the family Anthocerotaceae. The genus is global in its distribution. Its name means 'flower horn', and refers to the characteristic horn-shaped sporophytes that all hornworts produce. The dark color of the spores is the easiest way to distinguish Anthoceros from the related genus Phaeoceros, which produces spores that are yellow.

The genus is distinguished by having spores that are dark brown to black, a relatively frilly thallus when compared to Phaeoceros, and larger and more internal cavities than Phaeoceros.