Leontice leontopetalum (Berberidaceae) of Jordanian origin has yielded a new alkaloid (+) O-methyldihydrosecoquettamine (3) along with the optically active (+) dihydrosecoquettamine (1). Their structures have been established through one and two-dimensional nmr and other spectroscopic techniques as well as by chemical transformations. A plausible biosynthetic pathway to these alkaloids is proposed. © 1995, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. All rights reserved.