Analytical methodology developed for the trace analysis of natural products in crude extracts was utilized for the rapid and systematic structure elucidation of taxanes in Taxus extracts and process intermediates. This method integrates analytical hplc, uv detection, uv spectroscopy, full-scan ionspray mass spectrometry and tandem mass spectrometry on-line. The identification of structure of a taxane is based on comparing the mass spectrometric characteristics of the taxane with the paclitaxel substructural "template." Analytical data for taxanes in preparations from Taxus brevifolia and Taxus baccata were observed, including chromatographic characteristics using a standard hplc system, molecular weight, and collision induced dissociation (cid) tandem mass spectrometry (ms/ms) product ion spectra. The data obtained for 18 taxanes from natural sources using this method provided a taxane profile database useful for the rapid identification of taxanes in mixtures and samples of limited quantity.