Hydroxycinnamic acid amides have been identified as the main phenolic constituents in the reproductive organs of a range of flowering plants. Amides of cinnamic acids have previously been observed in several higher plants. Thus, ferulylputrescine has been isolated and identified from citrus leaves and fruits [l] and caffeylputrescine has been found in seeds of Pentaclethra macrophylla [2]. p-Coumaroyl- and ferulyltryptamine were identified in kernels of Zea mays [3] and lunarine was found in the seeds of Lunaria annua and L. rediviva [4]. p-Coumaryl-, ferulyl- and caffeylputrescine have been reported in callus tissue cultures of Nicotina tabacum [5]. Recently we have identified p-coumaryl-, ferulyl, di-p-coumaryl- and di-ferulylputrestine in the leaves of virus-infected vegetative tobacco[6, 7). Results obtained from our laboratory strongly suggest that aromatic amides have an antiviral effect [7j and are formed in tobacco after virus-infection as a protective mechanism. Caffeylputrescine was also found in tobacco flowers, but it was absent from the fullyexpanded leaves under normal growing conditions [8,9] In a recent publication we have reported the presence of caffeylputrescine, caffeylspermidine, p-coumaryl- and ferulylputrescine in the meristems of Nicotiana [lo] and we have demonstrated [11] that there is an increase in the amount of these aromatic amides in the apical part of tobacco plants at the time of floral induction.