The essential oil composition of flowering aerial parts of Iranian Silene morganae Freyn (Caryophyllaceae) was analysed for the first time using gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Thirty-one compounds consisting of 90.3% of the volatile oil were detected. The major constituents were benzaldehyde (11.6%), (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate (9.6%), (E)-β-ocimene (8.2%) and linalool (7.4%). Terpenoids (43.5%), particularly monoterpene hydrocarbons (24.2%), had the highest contribution in S. morganae Freyn flowering aerial parts oil.
Keywords: (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate; Caryophyllaceae; Silene morganae Freyn; benzaldehyde; essential oil.