The surface and internal lipids of Culotropis giganfeu L. (Ascelepiadaceae) leaves were analysed. The surface lipids (0.8%, dry wt.) consisted of hydrocarbons (22.2%). ester waxes (20.7Yo), aldehydes (7.9Yo), triacylglycerols (4.6"/0), fatty acids (20.0%), sterols (13.2%), diacylglycerols (3.3%), monoacylglycerols (2.9%) and unidentified components (5.2 Yo). The in- and..5 O/o non-polar, glyco-and phospholipids, respectively. The internal non-polar lipids were made up of pigments (13.5%), hydrocarbons (6.4%). ester waxes (6.2"/0), fatty acid methyl esters (3.2 Yo), aldehydes (3.1%), triacylglycerols (3.2 O h ) , fatty acids (6.7 ' Yo), sterols (5.7 Yo), diacylglycerols (2.5 Yo) and monoacylglycerols (2.3 Yo). The glycolipids comprised esterified sterylglycosides (2.4 Yo), monogalactosyldiglycerides (8.4 %), sterylglycosides (1.7"/0), cerebrosides (2.3 Yo), digalactosyldiglycerides (4.2 O/o) and sulfoquinovosyldiglycerides (2.7 Yo). The phospholipids were composed of cardiolipin (2.8 Yo), phosphatidylglycerol (5.6"/0), phosphatidylethanolamine (4.0 Yo), phosphatidylinositol (3.6 O/o), phosphatidylcholine (8.3 Yo) and phosphatidylserine (1.2%). All the internal lipid classes had high contents of linolenic. palmitic and linoleic acids whereas the surface lipids contained palmitic and stearic acids as major components.