Fatty acid composition of monogalactosyldiacylglycerols in Anthoceros agrestis and Conocephalum conicum

The main fatty acids in monogalactosyldiacylglycerols (MGDG) of Anthoceros agrestis and Conocephalum conicum were 16:3 omega3 and 18:3 omega3 and they comprised 87% and 83%, respectively, of the total fatty acids of MGDG. The highly unsaturated C-20 fatty acids were minor compounds making up 5% in b oth species. This result is a further indication that the acylation of MGDG with C-20 polyunsaturated fatty acids is dependent on the phylogenetic bra nching time of the different bryophyte taxa. Hornworts and liverworts with low proportion of C-20 polyenoates both represent an old taxon, while other bryophytes appear to contain C-20 fatty acids in MGDG the more the later p hylogenetic branching has occurred (Sewon 1992).