Seven triterpenoid saponins were isolated from both the aerial and the underground parts of Aster bellidiastrum. Five of the compounds were common to both parts. The structures were elucidated mainly from their NMR and mass spectral data, and showed significant similarity to the corresponding data for the saponins from plants of the Bellis genus. Two of the saponins are novel compounds with the structures 3-O-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-2 beta,3 beta,23-trihydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid 28-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1 --> 6)-beta-D-glucopyranoside and 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-2 beta,3 beta,16 alpha,23-tetrahydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid 28-O-alpha-L-arabino-furanosyl(1 --> 3)-[alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1 --> 2)]-beta-D-fucopyranoside. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.