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Dumortiera hirsuta (Sw.) Nees

Family	:	Dumortieraceae
Distribution	:	India, Nepal, Japan, Brazil, Mexico, America, Europe, Africa.
Distribution in Kerala	:	Western Ghats
Habitat	:	In shady wet areas of forests, on rocks, on submerged rocks, on exposed roots of higher plants, etc. in semi evergreen, evergreen and shola forests.
Uses	:	Used as source for antibiotics
Key Botanical Characters :                   Thallus dark greenish, in large patches of overlapping individuals, 5-10 cm x 1-1.5 cm, repeatedly dichotomous, margin undulate, midrib broad, dorsal surface sometimes with a faint network, epidermal cells 4-6 angled, thin, ventral surface green, scales simple, hyaline, midrib more prominent below; male receptacles terminal, disciform, with bristles on the margin, resemble the female receptacles when young, female receptacles sessile when young, with a few bristle like hairs, stalked at maturity, stalk thick, with 2 rhizoid furrows; capsule globose; spores tetrahedral, dark brown at maturity, 22-26 μm in diameter; elaters 2-4 spiralled, branched.