Gemma cups are protective in function

Sperm, released from the antheridia, accumulate in the cups and any water droplets landing in a cup will eject at least some of the sperm mass within that cup

On the upper surface of the liverwort there are 3 to 4 mm cup-like structures called gemma cups, and at the bottom of each gemma cup over a

gemmae cups Gemma cups are specialized structures for vegetative propagation, found in certain species of Marchantiopsida Gemma cup

gemma cup Gemma cup and gemma development in #Marchantia polymorpha #Tansleyinsight Z26OD9EVp1