The volatile constituents of the flowerheads of Centaurea polymorpha Lag. were extracted by hydrodistillation and analysed by GC and GC-MS. 63 components, amounting to 91.6% of the oil, were identified. Waxes and sesquiterpenes were the most abundant components in the oil. alfa-Cedrene (3.9%), beta-cedrene (3.6%) and beta-curcumene (3.0%) were the most representative sesquiterpene hydrocarbons while caryophyllene oxide (2.6%) was the most abundant oxygen containing sesquiterpene. The study on the biological activity of the oils showed no significant activity.