The volatile constituents from roots and rhizomes of Valeriana ocinalis L. s.l. and of several closely related Valeriana taxa were investigated by GC and GC±MS (EI and NICI) analysis. Seeds were obtained from dierent botanical gardens in Europe, and the plants investigated were grown in an experimental ®eld in The Netherlands. In addition, commercially available plant material of Dutch origin was investigated. Four subspecies of the collective species V. ocinalis were included in the study. The roots and rhizomes of 16 V. ocinalis ssp. ocinalis samples yielded 0.22±1.55% (v/w) essential oil on a dry weight basis. Oil components present in all samples were bornyl acetate (2±36%), myrtenyl acetate (trace±9%), nojigiku acetate (trace±0.8%), valerenic acid (0.3±3%), and one as yet unidenti®ed tertiary sesquiterpene alcohol. The oil yield for the two samples of V. ocinalis ssp. collina (Wallr.) Nyman was 0.78±0.85% (v/w). The main components were bornyl acetate (22±24%), myrtenyl acetate (6±8%), camphene (4±7%), kessane (3±6%), b-eudesmol (4±5%) and a tertiary sesquiterpene alcohol (RI 1622) amounting to 20%, which was present in one sample only. For seven samples of V. ocinalis ssp. sambucifolia (Mikan f.) Celak the yield of oil was 0.19±1.57% (v/w), with main components bornyl acetate (4±25%) and valerianol (3±34%). The only sample of V. repens Host. yielded 0.34% (v/w) oil, with bornyl acetate (13%), valerianol (19%) and kessane (8%) as the main components. Among the other (sub)species investigated in this study, the oil of V. celtica L. ssp. norica Vierh. contained bornyl acetate (22%) and patchouli alcohol (5%). Patchouli alcohol was also present in the oil of the two samples of V. phu L. together with g-patchoulene, patchoulyl acetate and a valerenal isomer (15±19%). Valeranone (16%) was the main constituent of the oil of V. exaltata Mikan. Bornyl acetate and valerianol were present in the essential oils of the other related valerian taxa studied.