Abstract: In order to exploit and utilize the essential oils from the genus of Cinnarnomum in Hubei Province. The plants have been investigated and collected in 21 mountainous counties selected since 1982. 15 kinds of Cinnamomum oils have been qualitatively and quantitatively analysised by means of capillary GC/MS/DS. Two parts of this paper are divided: Part I reports the investigation on taxonomy, geogarphic distribution, ecological environment and chemical constituents of the essential oil of Cinnamomum bodinieri Levl. var. hupehanum G. F. Tao (comb. nov.). The essential oil with the yield of 1.7 ml/100g from fresh leaves of this plant was prepared by steam distillation. Of 36 compounds examined, 18 ones which made up 98.01% of the total oil, were identified. The major component is d-camphor (up to 88.46%). As the result obtained, C. bodinieri var. hupehanum is another important resource of natural camphor in China. Part Il also reports the studies on essential of both C. camphora (L.) Sieb. var. linaloolifera Fujita and C. parthenoxylon (Jack)Nees. The similar yield of both was 3.1 ml/100g more than 30 and 50 compounds examined separately, 11 ones of each species were identified. These compounds identified made up 94.18% and 89.96% of both the total oil respectively. The major component in both the oils is linalool (89.59% and 81.4t% respectively).

Key words: Cinnarnomum, C. bodinieri var. hupehanum, C. camphora var. linalooli- fera, C. parthenoxylon, Constituents of essential oils, camphor, linalool