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oils, volatile

oils which evaporate readily. The volatile oils occur in aromatic plants, to which they give odour and other characteristics. most volatile oils consist of a mixture of two or more terpenes or of a mixture of an eleopten (the more volatile constituent of a volatile oil) with a stearopten (the more solid constituent). The synonym essential oils refers to the essence of a plant, as its perfume or scent, and not to its indispensibility.