Abstract The chemical composition of the leaf oils of Gymnanthes lucida Sw. and Eugenia rhombea (Berg) Krug et Urb. were studied by GC and GC/MS. Ninety-nine compounds of the oil of G. lucida were identified of which spathulenol (16.6%), methyl (E,E)-farnesoate (11.4%) and α-pinene (9.7%) were the major components. In the oil of E. rhombea, 92 compounds were identified of which cubenol (12.6%), α-cadinol (12.5%), β-pinene (12.1%) and β-dihydroagaro- furan (10.2%) were the major components.