Cell cultures of Hypericum androsaemum contain an array of prenylated xanthone aglycones and their glucosides, when grown in modified 85 medium in the dark. Derivatives of 1,3,6,7-tetrahydroxyxanthone prevail over compounds with the 1,3,5,6-oxygenation pattern. 1,7-Dihydroxyxanthone was also isolated. Xanthone accumulation parallels cell growth, is repressed by light and strongly influenced by the culture medium used.