Abstract Steam distilled essential oil from aerial parts of Herniaria incana was analyzed by GC/MS. Sixty-two compounds were identified. The dominating substances were represented by a homologous series of alkanes, alkenes, aliphatic alcohols, related aldehydes, ketones, and fatty acids and their methyl esters. The main constituents were 6,10,14-trimethyl 2-pentadecanone (37.6%) and palmitic acid (4.0%).