The total phenolic, flavonoid and anthocyanin content of achenes (true fruit) and thalamus (receptacle) from the native South American Fragaria chiloensis ssp. chiloensis (f. patagonica and f. chiloensis), Fragaria vesca and Fragaria x ananassa cv. Chandler was determined by spectrophotometric means. Highest phenolic content was found in F. vesca while lowest content was measured for white strawberry (F. chiloensis ssp. chiloensis, f. chiloensis). The total anthocyanin and total flavonoid contents in the samples investigated was lower for the white strawberry and higher in F. x ananassa cv. Chandler. Total flavonoid content showed a better correlation than total anthocyanins with the free radical scavenging effect of the extracts measured by means of the DPPH discoloration assay. In the superoxide anion assay all the acetone extracts of strawberries showed similar activity. The data presented in this study demonstrate that the amount of phenolic compounds differ significantly between species and subspecies and determine the free radical scavenging activity of fruits. On a w/w basis, higher total phenolics including flavonoids was found in achenes. The highest total anthocyanin content was found in the achenes of F. chiloensis and F. vesca, while F. ananassa presented higher antocyanin content in thalamus. The main anthocyanin in thalamus of F. ananassa (95%) were pelargonidin derivatives which were also present in F. chiloensis ssp. chiloensis f. patagonica (62.6%) but were not detected in F. vesca and F. chiloensis ssp. chiloensis f. chiloensis. In F. vesca and F. chiloensis ssp. chiloensis f. chiloensis only cyanidin derivatives were found both in thalamus and achenes. © 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.