The taxonomic position of an actinomycete isolated from an ultramafic soil in New Caledonia was determined using a polyphasic approach. The isolate, which was designated SFOp68(T), was shown to have chemical and morphological properties typical of streptomycetes. An almost complete 16S rRNA gene sequence of the isolate was generated and compared with sequences of representative streptomycetes. The 16S rRNA data not only supported the classification of the strain in the genus Streptomyces, but also showed that it formed a distinct phyletic line that was most closely related to one composed of the type strain of Streptomyces rimosus. The two organisms can be readily separated using a diverse range of phenotypic properties. It is proposed that strain SFOp68(T) (=DSM 41836(T)=NCIMB 13954(T)) be classified in the genus Streptomyces as Streptomyces ferralitis sp. nov.