AbstractThe steam‐distilled volatile oil obtained from partially dried grass (citronella grass) Cymbopogon nardus (Linn.) Rendle (Syn. Andropogon nardus Linn.), cultivated in the Nilgiri Hills at Ooty, India, was analysed by capillary GC and GC–MS. The partially dried grass contained 35 components, of which 29 constituents, comprising 92.7% of the oil, were completely identified. The oil contains 16 monoterpenes (79.8%), nine sesquiterpenes (11.5%) and four non‐terpenic compounds (1.4%). The prominent monoterpenes were citronellal (29.7%), geraniol (24.2%), γ‐terpineol (9.2%) and cis‐sabinene hydrate (3.8%). The predominant sesquiterpenes were (E)‐nerolidol (4.8%), β‐caryophyllene (2.2%) and germacren‐4‐ol (1.5%). Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.