Abstract The volatile oil of Hyparrhenia rufa (Nees) Stapf. grown in Nigeria was obtained by hydrodistillation and analysed by GC, GC–MS, 1 H‐ and 13 C‐NMR. The main components found were τ ‐cadinol (17.43%) and β ‐selinene (11.64%). The most interesting characteristic of the oil was the presence of four unusual and rarely occurring terpenoid esters: ( E , E )‐methyl farnesoate (1.01%), ( E , E )‐methyl‐10,11‐epoxyfarnesoate (12.17%), methyl (2 E ,6 E )‐10‐hydroxy‐3,7,11‐trimethyldodeca‐2,6,11‐trienoate (4.3%) and methyl (2 E ,6 E )‐3,7,11‐trimethyl‐10‐oxododecadienoate (2.25%). Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.