Pentane extracts of the seeds (fruits) of 44 cultivars of parsley have been examined by gas chromatography. The curly-leaved parsley cultivars can be distinguished by their dark brown light mericarps which possess an essential oil rich in monoterpenes, particularly α-pinene (15.7–24.1%) and β-pinene (9.6–15.1%). In root parsley, only α-pinene (10.6%), β-pinene (7.1%), myristicin (2.5%) and apiole (79.8%) were found, while apiole (30.4–67.5%) is the principal constituent of Giant Italian parsley. Myristicin (0.7–62.3%) was present in all parsley specimens analyzed.