10.22376/ijpbs.2019.10.1.p1-12 Volume 4 Issue 3 2013 (July - September) Essential oils or ethereal oil is defined as the volatile odoriferous oil obtained stem distillation of plants. Volatility and the plant origin are the characteristic properties of essential oils. These are found in special cells, glands or ducts located in different parts of a plant such as the leaves, barks, roots, flowers and fruits. Essential oil isolated from the rhizomes of lessThan i greaterThan Alpinia calcarata lessThan /i greaterThan Rosc. by hydrodistillation has a yield of 0.18 percent by weight. Light yellow oil has Characteristic sharp odour; specific gravity 0.8806; optical rotations -4 lessThan sup greaterThan o lessThan /sup greaterThan 51′. The acid and saponification values are also determined and reported. DURVESH K. TYAGI Alpinia calcarata, Zingiberaceae, Essential oil 236-239