The headspace solid-phase microextraction technology (HS-SPME) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) were used to determine the volatile components in the flowers of Paulownia fortunei,Paulownia elongate,Paulownia catalpifolia,Paulownia tomentosa and natural hybrids of Paulownia fortunei.The compositions and relative contents of volatile components among different Paulownia species were analyzed,the cluster analysis and principal component analysis were further performed.The results showed that a total of 45 volatile components were identified in the flowers of five Paulownia species,mainly including 12 terpenoids,eight alcohols,seven esters,three phenols,six aldehydes,two lignans,two benzenes,two ketones,two alkanes and one ethers.The five Paulownia species had seven volatile components in common,including one terpenoid,two alcohols,one ester,two phenols and one ketone,and the number of their unique components were nine,one,four,three and zero,respectively.The relative content of alcohol compounds were the highest among the five Paulownia species,and the relative content of 1-octen-3-ol and 3-octanol were higher among alcohols.Cluster analysis showed that P. catalpifolia and P. tomentosa had higher similarity,while the P. fortunei had lower similarity with other Paulownia species.The sum of the first principal component (PC1) and the second principal component (PC2) was 70.7%,the main contribution components of PC1 were esters,alkanes,terpenoids,ethers,ketones,alcohols and benzenes,the main contribution components of PC2 were phenols，alcohols,aldehydes,ketones,ethers,benzenes and lignans.Partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) screened out 11 distinctive volatile components with significant effects,including 1-octen-3-ol,1,2,4-trimethoxybenzene,(Z)-anethole and so on.This study can provide reference for accurate evaluation and efficient utilization of volatile components in the flowers of different Paulownia species.

"> Paulownia, different species, flower, headspace solid-phase microextraction technology and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, volatile components