A liverwort is a small, flat green plant that grows in damp, shady places like forest floors, stream banks, and the sides of rocks. Liverworts are ancient plants that have existed for over 400 million years, making them some of the oldest land plants on Earth. They were here long before dinosaurs, before flowers, even before many modern kinds of trees.

Most liverworts look like tiny green ribbons or scales pressed close to the ground or against tree bark. They don't have true roots, stems, or leaves like the plants you're used to seeing. Instead, they absorb water directly through their surface, which is why they need to stay moist. If you've ever noticed patches of flat, liver-shaped green growth on a wet rock or log in the woods, you've probably seen a liverwort.

Scientists group liverworts with mosses as bryophytes, the simplest plants that grow on land. Though tiny and easily overlooked, liverworts play an important role in forests by holding moisture in the soil and providing habitat for microscopic creatures.