The thin waxy coatings on leaves of nine species of Callistemon, two of Melaleuca and one species of Metrosideros, have been studied for the occurrence of leaf surface ¯avonoids. The Callistemon species and Metrosideros robusta exhibit only C-methylated ¯avonoids, while O-methyl ¯avonoids were detected in Melaleuca huegelii. The new natural C-methyl ¯avonol, 5,7-dihydroxy-3,8,40 -trimethoxy-6-C-methyl¯avone, was isolated from Metrosideros robusta. The leaf wax of Callistemon coccineus contains the novel C-methyl¯avonoid, 5,40 -dihydroxy-8-C-methyl-7-methoxy ¯avanone. # 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.