As part of a phytochemical study of Rauwolfia species (Apocynaceae), Rauwolfia vomitoria Afzel was examined for its free acidic constituents. In the study, four unreported crystalline compounds were obtained and identified as reserpic acid, gallic acid, kaempferol, and quercetin. Reserpic acid is synthetically obtained by controlled alkaline hydrolysis of the ester alkaloids reserpine and rescinnamine (1,2), and this is the first report of its natural occurrence. The possibility of artifact formation was ruled out by consistent isolation of this compound from different batches of the plant material under extremely mild basic conditions in which reserpine and related alkaloids remain unaffected. Moreover, saponification of these bases also yields trimethoxylated aromatic acids (1,2), which could neither be isolated nor detected by tlc of the total acid fraction against authentic standards.