The lyotropic phase behaviour of selected dendrimers with non-mesomorphic peripheral units, i.e. decyloxybenzoyl substituted poly(propylene imine) dendrimers as well as model compounds of their main parts, i.e. decyloxybenzoyl substituted alkylamines and also derivatives of 1,4,7-triazacyclononane, has been studied. For the first time, the induction/variation of mesomorphic properties in binary systems of these dendrimers or of related model compounds with suitable organic solvents has been. established.