Some chemical constituents of thirteen mosses from the traditional Mniaceae family

The diethyl ether extracts from thirteen moss species have been analyzed by GC/MS and tventy-nine different components have been identified or tentati vely identified. Sandaracopimaradiene, dihydroambrettolide, beta -tocophero l and methyl 2,4-dihydroxy-3,6-dimethyl benzoate are detected for the first time in bryophytes, but a fungal or lichenic origin of the last compound c annot be excluded. beta -Bisabolene, alpha -curcumene, delta -cuparenol and beta -acoradiene are reported for the first time from mosses. The present data suggest chemical relationships between species classified in two diffe rent genera: Mnium stellare, Plagiomnium affine, P. ellipticum and possibly P. elatum. The high content of diterpenoids or saturated fatty acids (as e aters if they are genuine components) respectively in Plagiomnium cuspidatu m or Pseudobryum cinclidioides could indicate the isolated chemical positio ns of both species among the Mniaceae family, in which the section Plagiomn ium of the corresponding genus (P. acutum, P. cuspidatum) is provisionally considered to be more homogeneous than the others. The genus Rhizomnium who se chemical affinities suggested by the occurrence of two hopenes are in go od accordance with those suggested by the distribution of flavonoids, seems to be chemically less polymorphic than the genera Mnium or Plagiomnium, ex cept in section Plagiomnium.