A revision of the neotropical genus Crossotolejeunea (Spruce) Schiffn. (Lejeuneacae) shows that the apiculate leaf apices and ornamented perianths, considered characteristic of the genus, are highly variable and the existence of Crossotolejeunea at genus rank or even as a subgenus of Lejeunea Lib. cannot be sustained. Therefore, the species of Crossotolejeunea are transferred to Lejeunea. A key, descriptions and illustrations for the 15 species recognized are provided. Five new combinations [Lejeunea caulicalyx (Steph.) E. Reiner & Goda, L. cristulaefiora (Gottsche ex Steph.) E. Reiner & Goda, L. cristulata (Steph.) E. Reiner & Goda, L. grossiretis (Steph.) E. Reiner & Goda and L. grossitexta (Steph.) E. Reiner & Goda], one new name (L. erostrata E. Reiner & Goda, replaced synonym: Crossotolejeunea parva Steph.) and 19 new synonyms are proposed. The genus Dactylolejeunea R. M. Schust. (Lejeuneaceae) is reduced to synonymy under Lejeunea.

  Five Hypopterygium species, H. tamarisci, H. laricinum, H. tenellum, H. muelleri, and H. debile, exhibit remarkable morphological similarities and form a species complex (H. tamarisci complex).

  This study unravels the problematic delimitation of the species in this complex using molecular (cpDNA trnL_UAA intron) and morphological data. Sequences of the trnL_UAA intron of taxa belonging to the H. tamarisci complex are remarkably similar. In a maximum parsimony tree, the taxa form a polytomous clade within one well-supported clade of other Hypopterygium species (H. filiculaeforme and H. didictyon). The Hypopterygium clade is well-separated from both the outgroup species, Lopidium concinnum, and from the clade of Canalohypopterygium tamariscinum and Catharomnion ciliatum. Morphological research showed, that the “taxa” of the H. tamarisci complex can not be sharply delimited from one another, but they can be delimited from the other Hypopterygium species as a single, variable and widely distributed species: H. tamarisci. Hypopterygium debile, H. laricinum, H. muelleri, and H. tenellum are shown to be synonymous with H. tamarisci.

  So far morphological approaches have produced little consensus in formulating clear definitions of the mostly southern hemispheric Lembophyllaceae and Meteoriaceae, two pleurocarpous and mainly epiphytic moss families. The generic limits proposed by various authors have resulted in an overlap of family concepts, and the systematic position of genera such as Weymouthia and Pilotrichella has been unsettled since the description of these families by Brotherus (1907) and Kindberg (1897). A molecular approach based on sequence data of two noncoding regions of the chloroplast DNA (cpDNA), trnL_UAA intron and trnL_UAA 3'exon-trnF_GAA intergenic spacer (trn data) as well as sequence data of the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) of the nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA) provides new evidence supporting the transfer of the genus Weymouthia into the Lembophyllaceae. Although the inter- and intrageneric sequence divergence is extremely low, the highly congruent maximally parsimonious trees from trn and ITS2 data sets suggest a close relationship of the Lembophyllaceae taxa sensu Tangney (1997 b). The Lembophyllaceae as treated here contain five genera Camptochaete, Lembophyllum, Fifea, Fallaciella and Weymouthia. Within the Meteoriaceae Meteorium and Papillaria are retained as separate genera, while Weymouthia is excluded from the Meteoriaceae and transferred to the Lembophyllaceae. The molecular data does not align Pilotrichella with either the Meteoriaceae or the Lembophyllaceae sampled. A transfer of Pilotrichella into the Lembophyllaceae is not supported. Pulchrinodus inflatus is neither part of the genus Weymouthia nor of the Meteoriaceae or Lembophyllaceae.

  Plagiochila dusenii Steph. (sect. Duseniae Carl) from southern South America is characterized morphologically and chemically. Sporophytic features are described for the first time and show similarities to sect. Arrectae Carl from the Neotropics and atlantic Europe. Chemical data indicate that P. dusenii is taxonomically closely related to the Bolivian endemic Plagiochila validissima Steph., to date only known in sterile condition. Isolation of the new verrucosane type diterpenes 13-epi-neoverrucosan-5β,6α-diol from P. validissima and 13-epi-neoverrucosan-5β,12β-diol, 13-epi-neoverrucosan-α-acetoxy-5β,12β-diol, 13-epi-neoverrucosan-8α-acetoxy-5β,12β-diol, 13-epi-homoverrucosan-5β,20-diol and the novel bibenzyl glycoside dusenic acid from P. dusenii and further known compounds permits the chemical characterization of both species by the accumulation of the sesquiterpene peculiaroxide, fusiccocane and verrucosane type diterpenes and very few hydrophilic phenolic compounds. Moreover they are chemically distinguished from the majority of Plagiochila species by the lack of secoaromadendrane type sesquiterpenes, lipophilic phenolic compounds and flavonoids.

  Rectolejeunea includes an ensemble of Lejeunea-like taxa which, in the field have a distinctive aspect: all taxa are very flat plants, growing closely applied to the substrate (usually bark, less often living leaves, rarely rocks). Aspect alone will usually allow field recognition and aspect usually allows separation of Rectolejeunea from the allied genus Lejeunea. It is a complex, diversified genus similar to Cheilolejeunea, from which it was segregated by Evans (1906), in including mostly taxa that have a lejeuneoid innovation (subg. Heterolejeunea, Chaetolejeunea, Notholejeunea); one subgenus (Rectolejeunea) has a pycnolejeuneoid innovation; a fifth subgenus, Invisolejeunea, is not known with gynoecia and its phylogenetic position remains controversial. Two subgenera (Heterolejeunea, Chaetolejeunea) include taxa lacking ocelli and which have oil-bodies in all leaf cells; three subgenera (Invisolejeunea, Notholejeunea, Rectolejeunea) include taxa that bear basal ocelli (Invisolejeunea) or basal + laminar ocelli (Rectolejeunea, Notholejeunea). Subg. Notholejeunea and Rectolejeunea have small or vestigial or no oil-bodies in laminar cells; subg. Chaetolejeunea, Heterolejeunea and Invisolejeunea have conspicuous oil-bodies of chlorophyllose laminar cells. If laminar ocelli occur, these are about the same size as the adjacent chlorophyllose cells, except in Notholejeunea, where they are mostly much larger than adjacent chlorophyllose cells.

  The genus probably includes under 20 species; it is largely Afro-American but the isolated R. (Notholejeunea) ocellata is a rare endemic of New Zealand. An isolated species of subg. Heterolejeunea (R. denudata sp. n.) also occurs in New Zealand.

  One species of subg. Rectolejeunea (R. monoica) is described from Brazil; three species of subg. Heterolejeunea are described, one (R. colombiana) from Colombia, one (R. pachyderma) from Venezuela. The last fits only precariously in Rectolejeunea: it is a soft-textured, fragile plant which―unlike other taxa of the genus―readily blackens when drying.

  Stenolejeunea Schust. was segregated (Schuster 1957) from Taxilejeunea to which there is a resemblance in the typically acute/acuminate leaves; small lobules; lejeuneoid gynoecial innovations. It is remote from Taxilejeunea in the proclivity for asexual reproduction via linear thalloid “gemmae;” the much simpler stem anatomy, with fewer medullary cell rows and rather weakly enlarged cortical cells; the ― mostly ― generalized gynoecial orientation, rarely with strong differentiation of uniseriate, repeated gynoecial innovations.

  Although mostly Indomalayan, isolated species (S. acuminata) occur as far as northernmost New Zealand. Some seven species are recognized, S. acuminata Schust. and S. fissistipula Schust. are new.

  A total of 101 genera and 174 species of mosses are accounted for Mt. Wilhelm in Papua New Guinea based on past and present collections made from 2000-4300 m elevations. Twenty-two species are new records for the mountain and Brotherella longipes is reported as new to New Guinea as well as East Malesia. Leptotypication of B. longipes is also proposed. Meteorium buchananii is excluded from Australasia including New Guinea. Aptychella clemensiae Bartr., Camptochaete papuana Tangney, Chaetomitrium parcesetulosum Bartr., C. subplicatum Bartr., C. plicatum Bartr., Eurhynchium bergmaniae Bartr. and Meteorium longipilum Nog. are suggested to be new synonyms. One new combination, Warburgiella celebensis (Dix.) B. C. Tan, is proposed.

  The sporophyte-gametophyte junction in G. orbicularis is examined by means of LM and TEM, focusing especially on the characteristics considered to be of evolutionary and biological significance in mosses. The placenta of this species, although in general terms corresponding to a bryalean model, also exhibits some differences, in particular the presence of labyrinthine wall ingrowths in non-epidermal foot cells, and a variability in the nature of tissue connecting the foot and the gametophyte strand of hydroids.

  In liverworts, oil-bodies represent the last developmental stage of a subcellular secretory system composed of a single or several bags originating from dilation of ER cisternae, in which proteins, mainly enzymes, accumulate before the secretory phase which begins with the rupture of the transitory connections between the nascent oil-body and ER. At this time, a part of the proteic material has given a highly refractive and osmiophilic deposit at the inner side of the limiting membrane which unambiguously distinguishes the young oil-body from other cell structures bounded by a single unit membrane, especially vacuoles. The essential oil produced within oil-bodies is composed of terpenoids or aromatic compounds or is a mixture of both.

  From available data and structural observations on fourteen newly investigated liverworts, no significant difference in the origin or development of oil-bodies has been found and there is no clear evidence for the contribution of a structural system different from ER in the differentiating oil-bodies. Ocelli from Marchantiales bear chloroplasts as those from Jungermanniales and the single oil-body results from the differentiation of only one large bag.

  The diethyl ether extracts from thirteen moss species have been analyzed by GC/MS and tventy-nine different components have been identified or tentatively identified. Sandaracopimaradiene, dihydroambrettolide, β-tocopherol 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 cannot be excluded. β-Bisabolene, α-curcumene, δ-cuparenol and β-acoradiene are reported for the first time from mosses. The present data suggest chemical relationships between species classified in two different genera: Mnium stellare, Plagiomnium affine, P. ellipticum and possibly P. elatum. The high content of diterpenoids or saturated fatty acids (as esters if they are genuine components) respectively in Plagiomnium cuspidatum or Pseudobryum cinclidioides could indicate the isolated chemical positions of both species among the Mniaceae family, in which the section Plagiomnium of the corresponding genus (P. acutum, P. cuspidatum) is provisionally considered to be more homogeneous than the others. The genus Rhizomnium whose chemical affinities suggested by the occurrence of two hopenes are in good accordance with those suggested by the distribution of flavonoids, seems to be chemically less polymorphic than the genera Mnium or Plagiomnium, except in section Plagiomnium.

  The genus Fuscopannaria is shown to be species rich in the East Asian flora, particularly the F. leucosticta group: F. dispersa sp. nov. (China), F. dissecta sp. nov. (Japan), F. poeltii (P. M. Jørg.) P. M. Jørg. (Nepal, Tibet), F. leucosticta (Tuck.) P. M. Jørg. (widespread), F. protensa (Hue) P. M. Jørg. (Japan & Korea) and F. siamensis sp. nov. (Thailand). In addition the F. incisa group is discussed, and three Asian species recognized at the moment: F. incisa (Hue) P. M. Jørg., F. laceratula (Hue) P. M. Jørg. and F. subincisa (Zahlbr.) P. M. Jørg., comb. nov. Also a further species in the F. praetermissa group is described, F. saltuensis sp. nov. from mountain forrests in the Himalayas.

  F. ahlneri (P. M. Jørg.) P. M. Jørg. is reported as new to Russia Primore; F. confusa (P. M. Jørg.) P. M. Jørg. and F. praetermissa (Nyl.) P. M. Jørg. are recorded as new to Japan, and F. sorediata P. M. Jørg. as new to Hawaii, China and India. Keys to critical species complexes are given.

  The F. leucophaea (Vahl) P. M. Jørg. group (subg. Micropannaria P. M. Jørg.) is not so commonly present as in Pacific orth America, and the few available specimen does not allow any further splitting of taxa; on the contrary Pannaria fauriei Hue is considered to be a synonym of F. leucophaea.

  All names are typified.

  Xanthoria soechtingi growing on bark of Salix sp. in Yakutia (Russia) is described as new to science.

  Seven new herbertane-type sesquiterpenoids, 1,13-dihydroxyherbertene, 1,14-dihydroxyherbertene, 1,15-dihydroxyherbertene, herberteneacetal, herbertenone A, herbertenone B and 12-methoxyherbertene-1,2-diol and three new chlorinated maclocyclic bis(bibenzyls), 2,12-dichloroisoplagiochin D, 12,7'-dichloroisoplagiochin D and 12,10'-dichloroisoplagiochin C were isolated from the Japanese liverwort Herbertus sakuraii, together with four known herbertane- and three dimeric herbertane-type sesquiterpenoids, two known cyclic bis(bibenzyls) and ent-pimara-8(14), 15-dien-19-oic acid. Their structures were elucidated by a combination of extensive 2D NMR spectroscopic methods and X-ray crystallographic analysis. Further analysis of the mass spectra of the extracts of Canadian and Japanese H. aduncus showed that the former species produces herbertene-1,2-diol, herbertenolide, herberteneacetal and the latter one herbertenolide, herberteneacetal, 1,15-dihydroxyherbertene and 1,2-dihydroxyherbertene-12-al, together with the previously known herbertane sesquiterpenoids. H. sakuraii is chemically similar not only to H. aduncus but also Mastigophora species.

  The main fatty acids in monogalactosyldiacylglycerols (MGDG) of Anthoceros agrestis and Conocephalum conicum were 16 : 3ω3 and 18: 3ω3 and they comprised 87% and 83%, respectively, of the total fatty acids of MGDG. The highly unsaturated C₂₀ fatty acids were minor compounds making up 5% in both species. This result is a further indication that the acylation of MGDG with C₂₀ polyunsaturated fatty acids is dependent on the phylogenetic branching time of the different bryophyte taxa. Hornworts and liverworts with low proportion of C₂₀ polyenoates both represent an old taxon, while other bryophytes appear to contain C₂₀ fatty acids in MGDG the more the later phylogenetic branching has occurred (Sewón 1992).

  The ether extracts of three liverworts, Frullania inflata, Leptoscyphus jackii and Wiesnerella denudata were chemically analyzed. The Indian F. inflata contains the germacrane-type sesquiterpene Iactone, (11S)-11,13-dihydrolipiferolide (= 8β-acetoxydihydroparthenolide), together with eight sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, α-cubebene, β-cubebene, α-copaene, β-caryophyllene, germacrene-A, α-selinene, β-selinene and β-guaiene. The Ecuadorian, L. jackii is chemically very simple. It produced a new maaliane-type sesqujterpene alcohol, ent-1α-hydroxy-3-maaliene as a major component, with (－)-bicyclogermacrene. Its structure was elucidated by spectroscopic means. From the Japanese W. denudata two germacranolides and three guaianolides were obtained. F. inflata is classified to the sesquiterpene lactone-type (Chemo-type I). There are two chemo-types of W. denudata.

  Column and thin-layer chromatography revealed the presence of the following carotenoids in the thalli 70 lichen species (87 specimens) from Central Europe: α-carotene, β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, lutein, 3'-epilutein, zeaxanthin, 4'-hydroxyechinenone, α-doradexanthin, canthaxanthin, astaxanthin, lutein epoxide, antheraxanthin, violaxanthin, mutatoxanthin, luteoxanthin, phoenicoxanthin, auroxanthin, neoxanthin, diatoxanthin, β-carotene monoepoxide, mutatochrome, aurochrome, cryptoftavin, heteroxanthin, rhodoxanthin, capsochrome, apo-6'-lycopenal, bixin and β-citraurin.

  The total content of carotenoids ranged from 1.53 in (Caloplaca citrina) to 161.04 μg g^-1 dry wt in (Parmeliopsis ambigua).