Composition of the volatile oils of Satureja spicigera C. Koch Boiss. and S. macrantha C. A. Mey from Iran

The essential oils of the aerial parts of Satureja spicigera (C. Koch) Boiss. and S. macrantha C. A. Mey., from Iran, have been analysed by GC and GC–MS. Forty‐three compounds in the oil of S. spicigera , representing 97.4% of the total oil, and 48 compounds in the oil of S. macrantha , representing 92.1%, were identified. The oil of S. spicigera was rich in monoterpenes (89.9%) with thymol (37.3%) as the major compound, but the oil of S. macrantha consists of approximately equal amounts of monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes (34.2% and 30.8%, respectively) with spathulenol (14.0%) as the main component.