AbstractThe marked differences betweenPlagiochila spinulosa(Dicks.) Dum. andP. killarniensisPears. pointed out by Paton (1977) are confirmed and added to by further ones. As a result the two species are placed in different sectionsSpinulosaeandZonatae, respectively. For each of the two species the full synonymy including new synonyms and new lectotypifications and a comprehensive list of studied specimens and a distribution map are presented. In appendix,P. porelloides(Torrey ex Nees) Lindenb. is recorded from Madeira, a species new to Macaronesia.