abstract the essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation from feminine cones, leaves and branches of adult taxodium distichum trees have been studied by gc and gc/ms. qualitative and quantitative differences have been detected among the three oils studied, in particular the essential oil of the feminine cones contained mainly monoterpene hydrocarbons with limonene (18.7%) and -pinene (71.3%) being predominant. the leaf and branch oils were also rich in -pinene (79.7% and 53.7%) in addition to more oxygenated monoterpenes and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons.