Colonies aid in the renewal of the humus and prepare the soil for the establishment of other vegetation. Rapidly invades burned areas by light, wind-borne spores. Exposed mineral soil and high lime concentrations present after a severe fire provide favorable conditions for establishment. The gametophyte propagates itself vegetatively and also produces the gametes which give rise to the sporophyte. In sexual reproduction, antheridia and archegonia develop on separate plant bodies and are borne on stalked antheridiophores and archegoniophores, respectively.
Fertilization takes place prior to elongation of the stalk, and a sporophyte is formed.
As many as 7 million spores may be formed on each plant. Vegetative reproduction may occur as a result of fragmentation or gemma cup production. In fragmentation, new plants are formed when older plant parts die at the fork of a branch of a thallus. The two branches then become separate individuals. Gametophytes produce propagative structures called gemma cups.