The aroma volatiles of a local variety of celery from Libya were analysed using routine procedures. Nine of the identified components have not previously been reported as celery volatiles. Unusually, three constituents alone made up ca 70% of the total volatiles, 4,7-dimethoxy-5-(prop-2-enyl)benzo-l,3-dioxolan or apiole (ca 23%), 3 butylphthalide (ca 22%) and 3-butyltetrahydrophthalide or sedanolide (ca 24%). The latter two compounds are known to possess strong characteristic celery aroma. Some of the relatively uncommon celery volatiles, including three newly identified, have also been detected in parsley leaves and may, therefore, be characteristic to some extent of the Umbelliferae.