Spectra of binaries classified as lambda Boo stars

High angular resolution observations have shown that some stars classified as lambda Boo are binaries with low values of angular separation and magnitude difference of the components; therefore the observed spectrum of these objects is a combination of those of the two components. These composite spectra have been used to define spectroscopic criteria able to detect other binaries among stars classified as lambda Boo. The application of this method to HD 111786 is presented: the contribution of 5 components to the observed spectrum is demonstrated by the shape of the O I 7774 Angstrom feature. This result makes unreliable any attempt to perform an abundance analysis of this object which therefore must be definitely rejected from the class of the peculiar lambda Boo stars. This approach allowed us also to recognize that the SB2 star HD 153808 is in reality a triple system.