Aromatic esters and terpenoids of the liverworts in the genera Trichocolea, Neotrichocolea and Trichocoleopsis

Three liverworts, Trichocolea tomentella, Neotrichocolea bissethii and Trichocoleopsis sacculata belonging to Jungermanniales were chemically investigated. Isoprenyl benzoates are the important chemical markers of Trichocolea tomentella. Neotrichocolea bissethii elaborates sesquiterpenes as the major components. The sacculatane-type diterpenes and pinguisane-type sesquiterpenes are the significant chemosystematic markers of Trichocoleopsis sacculata. These three species are chemically quite different. Trichocoleopsis sacculata is chemically rather close to Porella species. The present chemical results support the recent morphological classification of the above three species proposed by Schuster. Some species of Jungermanniales are chemically identical to those of Metzgeriales and these results also support the phylogenetic classification in which the two orders have been united within the subclass Jungermanniae.