Abstract The essential oil of the roots of Hemidesmus indicus R.Br, from southern India was investigated by GC and GC/MS. More than 20 components have been identified including 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzaldehyde (95.8%) as the significantly dominating compound. Additional aroma-active components, responsible for the typical coumarin-like, green (direction of violet-leaf), sweet (direction of heliotropin and Lilial) and vanillÎ±-like odor impression, such as vanillin and salicylic acid derivatives as well as (E,Z)-2,6-nonadienal were found only in very low concentrations (less than 1.0%).