In Marchantia, sex organs are borne on special stalked receptacles, the gametophores. The receptacle bearing male and female sex organs are called antheridiophores and archegoniophores. Androgynous receptacle bears both archegonia and antheridia on same receptacle.
Vegetative reproduction takes place with the help of gemma cup. These are specialized multicellular asexual reproductive bodies. They are present on the dorsal surface of the thallus in the midrib region. Gemma present on the male thallus form male plants and those of the female thallus give rise to female plants.
Elaters are formed by elater mother cells, which elongate to form long, slender, diploid, fusiform cells tapering at both the ends. Each of these develop two spirally thickened bands on the inner surface of its walls and loses its protoplasmic contents to become the elaters, which help in dispersal of spores.