The oil composition of inflorescences and leaves of Stachys sylvatica L. from Italy was analysed by GC-MS. The most abundant compounds in the oil from the inflorescences were germacrene D (55.2%), (E)-beta-farnesene (9.1%) and n-tetracosane (6.9%), whilst germacrene D (31.7%), n-tetracosane (7.8%) and mint sulphide (6.4%) were the main compounds in the oil from the leaves. Copyright (C) 2004 John Wiley Sons, Ltd.