Voucher specimens of the samples previously investigated in this laboratory [2,3] have been redetermined and found to be of C. arctica. The determination of the lichen used in this investigation and the redeterminations were done by Mr. H. Bsthagen, Botanic Museum, Oslo. Previous investigations: C. gonecha contains bellidiflorin, squamatic acid, usnic acid, rhodocladonic acid [4]; S. tomentosum contains atranorin, lobaric acid, stictic acid [4, p. 522], bourgeanic acid [5]. Present investigation: Brassicasterol has been isolated from both the lichens examined and identified by melting point (mp) of the compound and its acetate and by mass spectrometry (MS). To ensure authenticity of origin, specimens of C. gonecha were picked individually, whilst S. tomentosum occurred in a pure or almost pure stand. Check on purity therefore mostly consisted in removal of plant debris. Eucalyptus deglupta Blume (Myrtaceae, "Kamarere"), E. globulus Labill ("Blue Gum") and E. regnans F. Muell ("Mountain Ash") are fast-growth species in appropriate climate zones. The amount of methanol (MeOH) solubles in both bark and wood from young trees of E. globulus and E. regnans and the composition of the wood extractives of both species is very similar (Table 1). Chromatographic examination of E. globulus bark extractives revealed at least 10 major components excluding polymers (Table 1). The ellagitannins D-1, D-2, D-6 and D-13, catechin, ellagic acid (1a) and gallic acid were identified. Proanthocyanins were present in only very small amounts. A new compound, 3-O-methylellagic acid-4'-rhamnoside (1b), β-diketone (tritriacontane-16,18-dione), calcium oxalate and chlorogenic acid were isolated and identified from their physical and spectral data, and the preparation of derivatives. 1b was hydrolyzed to 3-O-methylellagic acid and rhamnose in equimolar proportions. Methylation followed by hydrolysis yielded 3,4,3'-tri-O-methylellagic acid (1c), and the NMR spectrum of 1b indicated that it is an α-rhamnopyranoside (1a: R1, R2, R3, R4=H; 1b: R1=Me, R2, R3=H, R4=rhamnosyl; 1c: R1, R2, R3=Me, R4=H; 1d: R1, R3=Me, R2, R4=H; 1e: R1, R2, R3, R4=Me). The most notable features of the extractives in the samples of E. deglupta collected in New Britain, New Guinea and Fiji Islands are the relatively large portions of 1c, 1d and 1e, the small number and amounts of other phenolics (mainly 1a and gallic acid) and the trace amounts of ellagitannins. The methylated ellagic acids were isolated from E. deglupta wood along with gel substances A and B, which were hydrolyzed to ferulic acid and 5 hydrolysis products; two of these were identified as behenyl and lignoceryl alcohols. Gas liquid chromatography (GLC) results indicated that the three unknown hydrolysis products were mainly long chain alcohols of chain length greater than n-C24. The amount (5.4%) of MeOH solubles in the heartwood of a large (80 cm diam), normally-coloured log of E. deglupta was higher than that (1.0-1.0%) in a smaller (26 cm diam) log which contained discoloured portions. The amount of total 1a, 1c, 1d and 1e is low so that most MeOH solubles are chromatographically unresolved or polymeric material. Extractives shown to be fungitoxic [1] are present in such small quantities, if at all, that their effect would probably be minimal. Wetwood shows an increase in MeOH solubles content affected by bacterial infection [2], and in this case also the content in discoloured outer heartwood (2.8%) was higher than that in the adjacent normal-coloured heartwood (1.4%). Present work: We earlier reported the occurrence of 2-methylisoflavones and other polyphenols from indigenous Glycyrrhiza glabra roots [2]. In the present communication, we report a novel 4-methylcoumarin, liqcoumarin. The solvent-free ethanol (EtOH) extract of air-dried roots (1.5 kg) was repeatedly extracted with diethyl ether (Et2O). The Et2O-soluble fraction was chromatographed over silica gel. Elution with benzene (C6H6)-ethyl acetate (EtOAc) in different proportions gave various compounds earlier reported [2]. The C6H6-EtOAc (9:1) eluate, on preparative thin-layer chromatography (TLC) purification using benzene, gave liqcoumarin (35 mg), mp 165-166°C. C12H10O4 (molecular ion M+ 218; found C, 66.03; H, 4.55; required C, 66.05; H, 4.62%). It gave a green colour with EtOH-FeCl3, had UV fluorescence and had characteristic infrared (IR) absorption peaks at vmaxKBr 1720 and 1650 cm-1. The UV spectrum (λmaxEtOH) showed peaks at 255, 265 and 310 nm; with AlCl3, peaks shifted to 245, 285 and 320 nm. The mass spectrum showed peaks at 218 (M+, 100%), 203 (100%), 190 (98%), 175 (77%), 147 (60%), 119 (64%), 91 (98%) and 77 (62%). Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrum (δ in CDCl3, TMS as internal standard) showed signals at 2.48 (3H, d, J=1 Hz, -CH3), 2.95 (3H, s, -COMe), 6.15 (1H, broad singlet), 6.80 (1H, d, J=10 Hz), 7.45 (1H, d, J=10 Hz) and 13.43 (1H, s, -OH). The spectral data showed it to be a coumarin with a chelated hydroxyl, a C-methyl and a C-acetyl substituent. The low field doublet at δ 7.65 could be either due to the C3 proton of the coumarin or due to an aromatic proton adjacent to the C-acetyl unit and also ortho-coupled with another proton (δ 6.80). The signal at δ 2.48 due to the C-methyl group shows allylic coupling (J=1 Hz), hence the methyl group seems to be at C4. The signal at δ 7.65 is thus more likely due to an aromatic proton ortho-coupled with another proton (δ 6.80; J=10 Hz). Moreover, these signals have values which are lower than those of coumarin protons at C3 and C4 positions. A priori, liqcoumarin could be either 6-acetyl-5-hydroxy-4-methylcoumarin or 7-acetyl-8-hydroxy-4-methylcoumarin. Liqcoumarin is assigned the structure of the former compound since it has been found to be identical with the synthetic sample obtained by condensing resacetophenone and ethyl acetoacetate in the presence of AlCl3 in nitrobenzene [3], with mp 164-165°C (mp, mixed mp, TLC, superimposable IR and NMR). Liqcoumarin seems to be of a novel type and is presumably a natural product.