XVI International Botanical Congess

Relationships within extant marchantioids (Sphaerocarpales, Monocleales and Marchantiales) have been controversial due to structural variation among the remnant taxa. We have sequenced parts of the nuclear Large Subunit rDNA gene and part of the plastid trnL-region across a broad marchantioid sample to compliment the morphology-based cladistic analysis of the senior author (Bischler 1998, Bryophytorum Bibliotheca). Exemplars from virtually all marchantialean genera (except Monocarpus and Cronisia) were sampled, Monoclea, Sphaerocarpus and Riella were also sampled. Outgroups include Blasia, Pellia and Fossombronia. Sequence data positions Monoclea well within Marchantiales. Basal positioning of carpocephalate taxa (Neohodgsonia and Lunularia) is at odds with the cladistic analysis of morphology.