Terpenoids and bibenzyls from some New Zealand liverworts

Four liverworts, Marchantia berteroana, M. foliacea, Plagiochila stephensoniana and Porella elegantula collected in New Zealand were chemically investigated. M. berteroana contains cuparene and (?)-2-hydroxycuparene as the major components. γ-Cadinene is the major component of M. foliacea. 4-Hydroxy-3′-methoxybibenzyl is a chemical marker for P. stephensoniana which belongs to the non-pungent type of Plagiochila species. P. elegantula synthesizes perrottetianal and belongs to the non-pungent type of Porella species.