abstract volatile components from fresh and air-dried leaves of juniperus thurifera var. africana, j. phoenicea and j. oxycedrus (cupressaceae) were isolated by direct water distillation (clevenger-type apparatus) and analyzed using gc (fid) and gc/ms. the essential oils from leaves of j. thurifera var. africana were characterized by a high sabinene content (16.5-21.8%), -terpinene (9.3-11.5%), and -pinene (7.6-9.1%). the major components for j. phoenicea were -pinene (38.2-58%) and -3-carene (7.6%), while 13-epi-manoyl oxide (12.5-13.2%), (z)-6-pentadecen-2-one (11.5-12.2%), and -pinene (8.5-17.1%) were the major components found in the leaf oils of j. oxycedrus. the fresh leaves of j. thurifera var. africana contained 1.46% oil, while the yield was 1.14% from the dried leaves. the oil yields from the dried leaves of j. phoenicea and j. oxycedrus were 0.94% and 0.01%, respectively. air-drying moderately effected the qualitative and quantitative composition of the oils.