Flavonoid Diversity in the Liverwort Genus

Many samples of Monoclea gottschei from Central and South America and the Caribbean Islands have been compared for their flavonoids. The species exhibits the most diverse fla­ vonoid pattern ever observed for a liverwort. From different chemotypes 28 flavones were iso­ lated: 8 aglycones, 3 monoglycosides, 9 diglycosides, 6 triglycosides and 2 oligoor polyglyco­ sides. The chromatographic and spectroscopic data of previously unidentified compounds are presented. Samples of M. forsteri from New Zealand have been analyzed for flavonoids too, but their flavone patterns are much less diverse: 1 aglycone, 1 polyglycoside and 2 further mono-or-diglycosides were isolated. The differences in flavonoid production of both species are an additional feature for the distinction of the two Monoclea species.