The essential oils from the rhizomes of Zingiber zerumbet, Hedychium coronarium and Etlingera cevuga from Tahiti Island were studied by capillary GC and GC/MS. The oil of Z. zerumbet wad found to be rich in oxygenated derivatives of a-humulene, in particular zerumbone (65.3%), while H. coronium oil contained b-pinene (24.8%) and 1,8-cineole (40.2%) as major constituents. The oil of E. cevuga possessed a characteristic chemical composition where methyl eugenol (47.4%) and (Z)-and (E)-methyl isoeugenol (18.8%) together accounted for more than 60% of the oil.