Pelargonidin is an

anthocyanidin Anthocyanidins are common plant pigments, the sugar-free counterparts of anthocyanins. They are based on the flavylium cation, an oxonium ion, with various groups substituted for its hydrogen atoms. They generally change color from red through ...

, a type of plant pigment producing a characteristic orange color used in food and industrial dyes.

Natural occurrences

Presence in flowers

Pelargonidin can be found in red geraniums (Geraniaceae). It is the predominant pigment causing the red coloration in the spathes of ''

Philodendron ''Philodendron'' is a large genus of flowering plants in the family (biology), family Araceae. , the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families accepted 489 species; other sources accept different numbers. Regardless of number of species, the gen ...

'' (Araceae). The orange-coloured flowers of blue pimpernel ('' Anagallis monelli'', Myrsinaceae) have a higher concentration of pelargonidin pigment. Red and Pink

Rose A rose is either a woody perennial flowering plant of the genus ''Rosa'' (), in the family Rosaceae (), or the flower it bears. There are over three hundred species and tens of thousands of cultivars. They form a group of plants that can be ...

s (Rosa) obtain their color from this phytochemical.

Presence in food

Pelargonidin can be found in berries such as ripe

raspberries The raspberry is the edible fruit of a multitude of plant species in the genus ''Rubus'' of the rose family, most of which are in the subgenus '' Idaeobatus''. The name also applies to these plants themselves. Raspberries are perennial with w ...

and

strawberries The garden strawberry (or simply strawberry; ''Fragaria × ananassa'') is a widely grown hybrid species of the genus '' Fragaria'', collectively known as the strawberries, which are cultivated worldwide for their fruit. The fruit is widely ap ...

, as well as blueberries,

blackberries The blackberry is an edible fruit produced by many species in the genus ''Rubus'' in the family (biology), family Rosaceae, hybrids among these species within the subgenus ''Rubus'', and hybrids between the subgenera ''Rubus'' and ''Idaeobatus' ...

cranberries Cranberries are a group of evergreen dwarf shrubs or trailing vines in the subgenus ''Oxycoccus'' of the genus ''Vaccinium''. In Britain, cranberry may refer to the native species ''Vaccinium oxycoccos'', while in North America, cranberry ...

but also in

saskatoon berries ''Amelanchier alnifolia'', the Saskatoon berry, Pacific serviceberry, western serviceberry, western shadbush, or western juneberry, is a shrub with an edible berry-like fruit, native to North America. Description It is a deciduous shrub or sma ...

and

chokeberries ''Aronia'' is a genus of deciduous shrubs, the chokeberries, in the family Rosaceae native to eastern North America and most commonly found in wet woods and swamps. The genus Aronia is considered to have 3 species. The most common and wide ...

. It is also found in

plum A plum is a fruit of some species in ''Prunus'' subg. ''Prunus'.'' Dried plums are called prunes. History Plums may have been one of the first fruits domesticated by humans. Three of the most abundantly cultivated species are not found i ...

s and

pomegranate The pomegranate (''Punica granatum'') is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub in the family Lythraceae, subfamily Punicoideae, that grows between tall. The pomegranate was originally described throughout the Mediterranean Basin, Mediterranean re ...

s. Pelargonidin gives red

radishes The radish (''Raphanus raphanistrum'' subsp. ''sativus'') is an edible root vegetable of the family Brassicaceae that was domesticated in Asia prior to Roman times. Radishes are grown and consumed throughout the world, being mostly eaten raw ...

their color. It is present in large amounts in

kidney bean The kidney bean is a variety of the common bean (''Phaseolus vulgaris''). It resembles a human kidney and thus is named after such. Red kidney beans should not be confused with other red beans, such as adzuki beans. Classification There are d ...

Glycosides

In many plant systems, Pelargonidin can be added to a glucose molecule to form

Pelargonidin 3-glucoside Callistephin is an anthocyanin. It is the 3-''O''- glucoside of pelargonidin. It is found in pomegranate juice, in strawberries and in purple corn. It is also found in the berry skins of Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir grapes ''(Vitis vin ...

(callistephin). This is done by the 3GT, anthocyanin 3-O-glucosyltransferase gene. Pelargonidin 3-O-glucoside

However this glucosidation reduces its antioxidant activity, and changes the wavelength of max light absorbance from 520 nm to 516 nm. Acylated pelargonidin glycosides can be found in red-purple flowers of ''

Ipomoea purpurea ''Ipomoea purpurea'', the common morning-glory, tall morning-glory, or purple morning glory, is a species in the genus ''Ipomoea'', native to Mexico and Central America. Description Like all morning glories, the plant entwines itself around stru ...

''.

References

External links