Abstract The chemical composition of the essential oils of two species of Tagetes growing wild in Bolivia was investigated. We found in the oil of T. aff. maxima (Z)-tagetone (31%), dihydrotagetone (27%) and (E)-ocimenone (22%). The oil of T. multiflora contained as major components (Z)-tagetone (47%), (E)-ocimenone (17%) and (Z)-Î²-ocimene (13%).