Tagetes minuta Linn. is a highly aromatic herb that grows wild on the North-West Himalayas between the altitudes of 1,250 and 2,500 m. The aerial part of the plant, on hydro distillation, yielded 1.2% of yellow-brown colored essential oil, on a dry weight basis, having a strong aromatic odor. Gas chromatograph-mass spectrometry examination of the oil showed that it contains tagetone and trans-caryophyllene as major constituents. The other constituents identified were β -bisabolene, carvotanacetone, carvacrol, citral, β -cubebene, p-cymene, dihydrotagetone, iso-eugenol, β -inone, lina!yi acctate, linalool, isolimonene, methyl-n-heptyl ketone, β -myrcene, menthol, nerolidol, 2-nonanone, β -ocimene, ocimenone, 1-penten-3-ol, phenyl acetaldehyde, C-pinene, spathulenol, α -terpineol, and Υ-terpineol.