The essential oil of Monodora myristica was obtained by steam distillation with a yield of 45.6 g kg-'. The composition of the oil was analysed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The oil was found to contain 75 % monoterpene hydrocarbons, the major compounds being aphellandrene (50.4 %), a-pinene (5.5 %) and myrcene (4.35 %). There were also a few sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (3 %) and oxygenated compounds such as germacrene-~-4-01 (9.5 %). Gerrnacrene-~-4-01, a-pinene, A2-carene, / Icaryophyllene, valencene, y-muurolol and carvacryl acetate have not previously been reported in M myristica.