AbstractThe ester portion of epicuticular waxes of tall fescue (Festuca arundinaceaSchreb.) is composed of mixtures of homologous series of fatty acids esterfied with fatty alcohols. GC analyses of natural esters gave rise to the separation of several compounds of different chain length. To identify and quantify individual components in the mixture, GC/MS analyses were carried out, and the mass spectra of each peak were recorded and analyzed for characteristic ions. This approach permitted a comparison with data obtained from classical methods using GC analysis of acid and alcohol moieties obtained by hydrolysis.