Conopharyngine, the major alkaloidal component (Thomas & Starmer, 1963 ; see also Renner, Prins & Stoll, 1959), jollyanine (conopharyngine hydroxyindolenine) (Crooks & Robinson, 1970) and 2-ethyl-3- [2-(3-ethylpiperidino)-ethyl] indole (Crooks, Robinson & Smith, 1968) have already been isolated from the ether-soluble bases obtained from the leaves of T. cumminsii. We have now identified a fourth alkaloid, m.p. 188-191", [a] '" = -170 f 10" (in CHCI,), whose isolation from this source we have already reported (Crooks & Robinson, 1970). The high resolution mass spectrum of the alkaloid showed a molecular ion at m/e = 264.1 62387 which indicated a molecular formula C18H2,,N2 (calculated 264.162641). Apart from the molecular ion, which was also the base peak, the mass spectrum had other significant peaks at m/e = 249,235,222,208, 194, 180, 167, 154, 130 and 128. The ultraviolet spectrum in ethanol had hmax 303-305nm (log E = 4-65), hinil 309-312 nm (log E = 4*60), hmin 268 nm (log E = 3.78) which did not change upon acidification. The above data are in agreement with those reported (Joule, Monteiro & others, 1965) for (-)-apparicine (I). The identity of the alkaloid at present under investigation was confirmed as (-)-apparicine (I) by comparison (TLC behaviour and ultraviolet and mass spectra) with an authentic sample of (-)-apparicine (supplied by Dr. R. T. Brown of the Department of Chemistry, University of Manchester). (-)-Apparicine, the biosynthesis of which from tryptophan via stemmadenine has recently (Kutney, Nelson & Wigfield, 1969) been demonstrated, has previously been isolated from several species of the genus Aspidosperma (Arndt & Djerassi, 1965; Gilbert, Duarte & others, 1965) and its enantiomer has been isolated from one such species (Joule, Ohashi & others, 1965). Under the synonyms (Monteiro, 1966) tabernoschizine and pericalline, (-)-apparicine has also been isolated from Schizozygiu cuffueoides (Renner & Kernweisz, 1963) and from Catharunthus lanceus (Blomster, Martello & others, 1964) and roseus (Svoboda, 1963) respectively, and the un-named alkaloid, m.p. 186-188" (no rotation given) isolated from Aspidosperma australe (Ondetti & Deulofeu, 1961) is also probably apparicine. The present studies represent the first isolation of the alkaloid from the genus Conopharyngia.