Phytochemical, morphological, and molecular evidence for the occurrence of the neotropical liverwort Plagiochila stricta in the Canary Islands, new to Macaronesia

Plant material front the Canary Islands similar to Plagiochila spinulosa (Dicks.) Dumort. has been identified as the Neotropical liverwort R stricta. Lindenb. The secondary metabolite profiles of CDCl3 extracts of both Neotropical and Macaronesian specimens of R stricta are distinct from those of R spinulosa in containing alloocimene and neoalloocimene as the principal monoterpenes rather than beta-phellandrene; the two species also show differences in the 9, 10-dihydrophenanthrenes and other aromatic compounds present. Phylogenetic analyses of ITS nrDNA sequence variation place P. spinulosa sister to P. stricta. Morphologically, P. stricta from Tenerife is distinguished most easily front P spinulosa by the scarcely decurrent antical leaf margin.