Between 1977 and 1981, seven qualitatively distinct new races of coffee leaf rust (Hemileia vastatrix) were detected in breeding plots in the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Four races carry complex virulence against the resistance genes SH1, SH2, SH4 and SH5 ofCoffea arabica. Three races match unidentified resistance genes ofC. canephora. Two of these were isolated from cv. Kouillou and one from the hybrid population Icatu. Pending further identification, these races were indicated by the number of their type cultures (Is. 2, 10 and 11). Is. 2 and Is. 10 showed extra virulence to some coffee genotypes and decreased virulence to other coffee genotypes, suggesting stabilizing selection.