Abstract The qualitative and relative quantitative anthocyanin content of 19 species belonging to the genera Sambucus , Lonicera and Viburnum in the family Caprifoliaceae has been determined. Altogether 12 anthocyanins were identified; the 3- O -glucoside ( 2 ), 3- O -galactoside ( 5 ), 3- O -(6″- O -arabinosylglucoside) ( 7 ), 3- O -(6″- O -rhamnosylglucoside) ( 9 ), 3- O -(2″- O -xylosyl-6″- O -rhamnosylglucoside) ( 10 ), 3- O -(2″- O -xylosylgalactoside) ( 11 ), 3- O -(2″- O -xylosylglucoside) ( 12 ), 3- O -(2″- O -xylosylglucoside)-5- O -glucoside ( 14 ), 3- O -(2″- O -xylosyl-6″- O - Z - p -coumaroylglucoside)-5- O -glucoside ( 15 ) and 3- O -(2″- O -xylosyl-6″- O - E - p -coumaroylglucoside)-5- O -glucoside ( 16 ) of cyanidin, in addition to the 3- O -glucosides of pelargonidin and delphinidin ( 1 and 3 ). Pigment 7 is the first complete identification of the disaccharide vicianose, 6″- O -α-arabinopyranosyl-β-glucopyranose, linked to an anthocyanidin. Despite differences in colour from orange to black, the berries in the genus Sambucus are characterized by pigments 14 – 16 , or by other cyanidin derivatives containing xylose. Simple anthocyanin 3-monoglucosides (mainly 2 ) dominate in berries of Lonicera species, while the examined species of Viburnum contained one or more cyanidin 3-glycoside, however, with differences in their anthocyanin pattern.