AbstractThe first attempt to relate the chemical constituents of algae, bryophytes and pteridophytes to evolutionary processes has been made. There are no apparent chemical affinities between green algae and bryophytes, nor between the Hepaticae, Musci and Anthocerotae. The Musci are rather close to the pteridophytes from the point of view of the presence of common triterpenoids. The Hepaticae and the Musci could have originated from different ancestors. The Hepaticae seem to be chemically most nearly related to the Phaeophyceae amongst marine algae, as both groups elaborate structurally and chiroptically very similar terpenoids and closely-related aromatic compounds.