The surprisingly similar energetics for sorgoleone in both the membrane and an organic phase, separated by a significant barrier in the aqueous phase, highlight how droplets and membranes may co-exist in a natural system. If an active transport system of some sort could drive sorgoleone from the membrane to a nascent droplet, that droplet may continue to grow without reabsorbing under specific conditions. In developing test simulations to compute Fig. , if the aqueous layer is thinner than 8 Å, the organic phase and the membrane would readily fuse. Glycans decorating the membrane lipids may thus facilitate efficient sorgoleone compartmentalization into droplets than can be released into the soil.