The product obtained on methylation with (Me)2SO4 showed resonance signals at δ 2.10 (3H, s, methyl group), δ 2.88 (3H, s, acetyl group), δ 3.72, δ 3.78, δ 3.84 (3H, s, three methoxyl groups) and δ 6.42 (1H, s, aromatic proton). The chemical and spectral evidence suggests that this compound is 4,6-dihydroxy-2-methoxy-3-methylacetophenone and this was further confirmed by the agreement of its melting point and that of dimethyl ether, respectively, with literature data. It is noteworthy that the product cannot be considered a chemical artefact, as its presence has been shown directly in the crude extract by TLC in comparison with a pure sample. The phenolic extract obtained from the leaves of Podocarpus nerii folius D. Don (Podocarpaceae) and purified by usual methods gave four biflavones by preparative TLC and counter current distribution methods. They were characterized as amentoflavone (1), podocarpusflavone A (2), podocarpusflavone B (3) and isoginkgetin (4) by m.ps, m.m.ps and comparison of NMR spectra of their methyl ether and acetate derivatives with authentic samples respectively. In addition, TLC showed the presence of hinokiflavone and its monomethyl ether.