Abstract The essential oils of the aerial parts of Helichrysum leucocephalum Boiss. and Helichrysum artemisioides Boiss. et Hausskn. collected from Iran were examined by GC and GC/MS. Ninety-two components of H. leucocephalum and 48 of H. artemisioides representing 93.0% and 92.4% of the oils, respectively were identified. Rosifoliol (22.3%), β-caryophyllene (10.1%) and α-humulene (9.0%) were the main components of the oil of H. leucocephalum and hexadecanoic acid (14.7%); β-caryophyllene (10.6%), α-humulene (7.7%) were the major ones of the oil of H. artemisioides.