The composition of the essential oil of the flowers of Chloranthus spicatus (Thunb.) Makino (Chloranthaceae) was investigated using capillary GC-GC/MS, preparative GC and NMR techniques. Forty-seven compounds were identified either by comparing their retention indices and mass spectra with a library of authentic samples established under identical experimental conditions or, by isolating the compounds and deriving their structures by one-and two-dimensional NMR investigations. Thus, four minor components, viz. chloranthalactone A (0.5%), isogermafurenolide (0.7%), eudesma-4(15),7(11),9-trien-12-olide (0.5%), and 7α α α α α-hydroxyeudesm-4-en-6-one (3.3%), were isolated for the first time as constituents of the essential oil of the flowers of C. spicatus and their structures established. The major components of the oil include (Z)-β β β β β-ocimene (6.3%), allo-aromadendrene (6.2%), sarisane (2-allyl-4,5-methylenedioxyanisol, 4.2%) and selina-4(15),7(11)-diene (6.4%).