Plagiochila rutilans (Hepaticae): A poorly known species from tropical America

The neotropical liverwort, Plagiochila rutilans Lindenb., is conspecific wi th P. remotifolia Hampe & Gottsche, P. farlowii Steph., P. harrisana Steph, and P. organensis Herzog. Plagiochila standleyi Carl is reduced to a varie ty of P. rutilans. Plagiochila gymnocalycina (Lehm. & Lindenb.) Mont. and P . portoricensis Hampe & Gottsche (= P. simplex (Sw.) Lindenb.) are excluded from the synonymy of P. rutilans. Plagiochila rutilans var. liebmanniana G ottsche is a synonym of P. crispabilis Lindenb.; P. rutilans var. laxa Lind enb. and var. angustifolia Herzog are conspecific with P. gymnocalycina. Sp orophytes of P. rutilans are described for the first time. Fresh material o f P. rutilans exhibits a distinct odor of peppermint caused by the presence of several menthane monoterpenoids, principally pulegone. NMR (nuclear mag netic resonance) fingerprints and GC-MS data indicate that the lipophilic s econdary metabolite profiles are distinct for the two varieties accepted in this study.