Short answers, pulled from the story.
Bryologists classify liverworts in the division Marchantiophyta based on the universally recognized genus Marchantia. The divisional name differs from Hepaticophyta which derives from their common Latin name used by botanists publishing descriptions.
Sperm of liverworts are biflagellate meaning they possess two tail-like flagellae for swimming short distances to reach eggs held in female organs called archegonia. At least a thin film of water must be present for these sperm to reach the eggs though raindrop splashing can assist their journey across moist surfaces.
Scientists announced the oldest assignable fossils at that time were Metzgeriothallus sharonae from the Givetian Middle Devonian of New York United States in 2007. Five different types of fossilized liverwort spores were discovered in Argentina in 2010 dating back to the much earlier Middle Ordovician around 470 million years ago.
In ancient times it was assumed that liverworts cured diseases of the liver hence giving them their name based on superficial appearance resembling a human liver outline. Old English literally translates liverwort as liver plant derived from this belief stemming from the Doctrine of Signatures linking plant form to function.
Leafy liverworts differ from mosses through their single-celled rhizoids that anchor them to surfaces while mosses typically possess multi-cellular rhizoids instead of this singular cellular structure. The leaves of many leafy liverworts lack a costa which is a central vein found in most mosses and some species display marginal cilia rarely seen on moss leaves.