Abstract The hydrodistilled essential oil (yield 1.2%) of fresh leaves of wild Hyptis suaveolens (L.) Poit. was analyzed by GC/MS. Twenty-four compounds representing 90.3% of the oil were identified. The main components of the oil were Î²-caryophyllene (26.0%), Î²-elemene (10.4%), trans-Î±-bergamotene (7.7%), spathulenol (7.0%) and bicyclogermacrene (6.5%). The oil exhibited significant antimicrobial activity against Mucor sp. when compared to ketoconazole.