Abstract The essential oils from Pimenta pseudocaryophyllus leaves collected in two Brazilian geographic localities at different flowering stages were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. A high oil yield (0.8%) was obtained in post-anthesis and pre-anthesis periods of specimens from Brasília. The majority constituents found at the Brasília sampling site were methyl eugenol (18.1%, post-anthesis; 4.1%, anthesis; 3.1%, pre-anthesis) and (E)-methyl isoeugenol (78.0%; 93.5%; 93.6%), while samples from São Gonçalo do Abaeté revealed neral (21.4%, post-anthesis; 33.6%, pre-anthesis) and geranial (36.5% and 47.2% respectively) as principal constituents. The two specimens drastically differed in terms of the chemical composition of their essential oils.