Three alkaloids with a novel skeleton, named curvupallides A, B and C, are described from the phytopathogenic fungus Curvularia pallescens. They possess an unusual alpha,beta-unsaturated ene-amide gamma-lactam. Curvupallides are produced - together with phytotoxic spirostaphylotrichines showing structural similarities with them only under limitation of nitrogen in submerse culture. Their structure were determined using various NMR techniques and MSMS. They displayed no phytotoxic activity so their ecological function could not be determined.