Abstract The chemical composition of leaf oils of Helichrysum melaleucum Rchb. ex Holl., Oenanthe divaricata (R. Br.) Mabb. and Persea indica (L.) Spreng. were studied by GC and GC/MS. Twelve compounds of the oil of H. melaleucum were identified of which β-caryophyllene (35.4%) and γ-curcumene (22.3%) were the major components; 36 compounds of the oil of O. divaricata were identified of which β-bisabolene (17.7%), limonene (16.0%) and β-caryophyllene (15.3%) were the major components, while 55 compounds of the oil of P. indica were identified of which (E)-avocadodienofuran (15.3%), (E)-avocadenynofuran (13.2%) and β-caryophyllene (11.0%) were the major components.