Abstract Volatile compounds from Baccharis obovata Hooker et Arnott and B. salicifolia (Ruiz et Pav.) Pers. leaves collected in the Argentinean Patagonia were isolated by steam distillation. Yields on the essential oils were 2.81% for B. obovata and 1.50% for B. salicifolia. The oils were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. The main constituents of each oil were: (i) B. obovata oil: a-thujene (5.8%), α-pinene (9.2%), sabinene (23.2%), β-pinene (9.9%), myrcene (3.7%), limonene (10.7%), terpinen-4-ol (5.9%); and (ii) B. salicifolia oil: α-thujene (2.1%), α-pinene (4.4%), sabinene (2.9%), β-pinene (5.5%), myrcene (2.2%), α-phellandrene (3.2%), limonene (8.1%), (Z)-(3-ocimene (4.6%), terpinen-4-ol (5.9%), γ-ca-dinene (2.3%), elemol (2.7%), cis-α-copaen-8-ol (2.3%), α-muurolol (5.5%), α-eudesmol (2.7%), verboccidentafuran (2.8%), chromolaenin (3.1%) and dihydroisochromolaenin (2.9%).