SYSTEMATIC POSITION OF RHACOCARPUS LINDB (MUSCI, RHACOCARPACEAE)

The genus Rhacocarpus was traditionally placed into the Hedwigiaceae. Special characters such as the ornamentation of the leaf surface led t o the opinion to include the genus in an own family, Rhacocarpaceae, a s already suggested by C. Muller and Kindberg at the end of the last c entury. However, the systematic position of the family Rhacocarpaceae was not clear, which was placed into the Leucodontales and also the Di cranales. Therefore a critical evaluation of all available morphologic al data was undertaken. Additional information was obtained from 18S R NA gene and flavonoid chemistry. Especially the results of the latter methods suggest that the Rhacocarpaceae are closely related to the Hed wigiaceae in the Orthotrichales.