The compositions of the essential oils obtained from seven species of Melaleuca grown in the municipal district of Viçosa, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, were analysed by both GC and GC–MS. The various Melaleuca species showed differences within their relative essential oil compositions. Each of the oils analysed revealed a dominant component: terpinen-4-ol (53.7 ± 0.2%) for M. alternifolia; 1,8-cineole for M. armillaris (80.2 ± 0.0%), M. ericifolia (79.5 ± 0.4%), M. cajuputi, subspecies cajuputi (43.7 ± 0.5%) and M. cajuputi subspecies platyphylla (41.0 ± 8.5%); viridiflorol (71.0 ± 0.9%) for M. quinquenervia; and methyl eugenol (96.6 ± 0.7%) for M. leucadendra. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.