A one-step low-temperature alcohol-water thermal route has been developed to synthesize single-crystal gamma-Mn3O4 nanorods with diameters of 50-120 nm, and lengths of up to several tens micrometers. high-resolution transmission electron microscopic observations show that the axial direction of the as-prepared nanorods is perpendicular to the normal direction of the (101) lattice planes of the tetragonal gamma-Mn3O4.