A novel taxoid, taxezopidine A (l), has been isolated from seeds of Japanese yew Taxus cuspidata Sieb. et Zucc. and the structure elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic data. Taxezopidine A (1) is the first taxoid with a hemiketal ring at C-11 - C-13, C-15, ad C-17. @1997ElsevierScienceLtd.