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Volatile components from fresh and air-dried leaves of Juniperus thurifera var. africana, J. phoenicea and J. oxycedrus (Cupressaceae) were isolated by direct water distillation (Clevenger-type apparatus) and analyzed using GC (FID) and GC/MS. The essential oils from leaves of J. thurifera var. africana were characterized by a high sabinene content (16.5-21.8%), γ-terpinene (9.3-11.5%), and α-pinene (7.6-9.1%). The major components for J. phoenicea were α-pinene (38.2-58%) and δ-3-carene (7.6%), while 13-epi-manoyl oxide (12.5-13.2%), (Z)-6-pentadecen-2-one (11.5-12.2%), and α-pinene (8.5-17.1%) were the major components found in the leaf oils of J. oxycedrus. The fresh leaves of J. thurifera var. africana contained 1.46% oil, while the yield was 1.14% from the dried leaves. The oil yields from the dried leaves of J. phoenicea and J. oxycedrus were 0.94% and 0.01%, respectively. Air-drying moderately effected the qualitative and quantitative composition of the oils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]