A butanolide, marliolide, was isolated from the hexane extract of leaves of Mollinedia marliae (Monimiacae) along with the long chain fatty alcohol hexacosanol. Phytol and a mixture of sitosterol and stigmasterol were also isolated from leaves of both M. marliae and M. gilgiana, trans-N-Feruloyltyramine, a ferulic acid derivative, is the major constituent of the stems of M. gilgiana. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.