Abstract The essential oils from the fresh inforescences of Echinops graecus and E. ritro were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Methyl chavicol (42.5%) was the dominant component of E. graecus oil. The oil of E. ritro showed (E)-2-hexenal (21.4%), 1,8-cineole (16.3%) and p-cymene (12.2%) as the major constituents. Key Word Index: Echinops graecus Echinops ritro Compositaeessential oil compositionmethyl chavicol1,8-cineolep-cymene(E)-2-hexenal