 Phenanthrenes have been reported from higher plants, mainly in the family Orchidaceae.A few phenanthrenes have been found in the class Hepaticae and families Dioscoreaceae, Combretaceae and Betulaceae.The rhizome of "Dioscorea communis" contains phenanthrenes (7-hydroxy-2,3,4,8-tetramethoxyphenanthrene, 2,3,4-trimethoxy-7,8-methylenedioxyphenanthrene, 3-hydroxy-2,4,-dimethoxy-7,8-methylenedioxyphenanthrene, 2-hydroxy-3,5,7-trimethoxyphenanthrene and 2-hydroxy-3,5,7-trimethoxy-9,10-dihydrophenanthrene).