The S-2 fluorescence of malachite green is measured with sub 100 fs time resolution. Ultrafast spectral dynamics in the S-2 state preceding S-2 decay are resolved. Measurements in different solvents show that these sub 100 fs dynamics are insensitive to medium polarity and viscosity. They are thus assigned to ultrafast structural evolution between the S-2 Franck-Condon and equilibrium configurations. (C) 2014 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.