Abstract Water-distilled essential oils from the aerial parts of three Stachys species: S. asterocalyx Rech. f., S. obtusicrena Boiss., which are endemic to Iran, and S. multicaulis Benth. were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. The major components of the oil of S. asterocalyx were Î±-bisabolol (25.1%) and linalool (18.0%). In the oil of S. obtusicrena, Î±-pinene (34.6%), germacrene D (8.0%) and bicyclogermacrene (7.8%) were found to be the major constituents. Bicyclogermacrene (23.0%), spathulenol (20.7%), germacrene D (12.4%) and caryophyllene oxide (11.1%) were the predominant compounds in the oil of S. multicaulis.