Abstract The essential oil obtained by hydrodistillation of the fresh leaves of Eugenia speciosa Camb. (Myrtaceae) growing in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil was investigated by GC and GC/MS. Compounds representing 95.7% the oil were identified. Twenty-seven components were identified according to their chromatographic retention indices and mass spectra. The major constituents were limonene (33.7%) and Î±-terpineol (18.9%).