Abstract
Two peat moss species, frequent both in the mainland Portugal and in the Azores archipelago, were evaluated for essential oil composition and establishment under in vitro culture. Sphagnum auriculatum and Sphagnum subnitens essential oils were isolated by hydrodistillation and analysed by Gas Chromatography (GC) and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The essential oil of S. auriculatum was dominated by an as yet unidentified sesquiterpene, whereas zierene was the main component of S. subnitens essential oil. The in vitro cultures were successfully established for future studies of their chemical profile. The components present in essential oils obtained from S. auriculatum and S. subnitens together with morphological traits could be used to support the taxonomy of this plant group.