Pelargonidin is an

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

, 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

geranium ''Geranium'' is a genus of 422 species of annual, biennial, and perennial plants that are commonly known as geraniums or cranesbills. They are found throughout the temperate regions of the world and the mountains of the tropics, with the gre ...

s (Geraniaceae). It is the predominant pigment causing the red coloration in the spathes of '' Philodendron'' (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 plant, perennial flowering plant of the genus ''Rosa'' (), in the family Rosaceae (), or the flower it bears. There are over three hundred Rose species, species and Garden roses, tens of thousands of cultivar ...

s (Rosa) obtain their color from this phytochemical.

Presence in food

Pelargonidin can be found in berries such as ripe raspberries and

strawberries The garden strawberry (or simply strawberry; ''Fragaria × ananassa'') is a widely grown hybrid plant cultivated worldwide for its fruit. The genus ''Fragaria'', the strawberries, is in the rose family, Rosaceae. The fruit is appreciated f ...

, as well as

blueberries Blueberries are a widely distributed and widespread group of perennial flowering plants with blue or purple berries. They are classified in the section ''Cyanococcus'' with the genus ''Vaccinium''. Commercial blueberries—both wild (lowbush) ...

blackberries BlackBerry is a discontinued brand of handheld devices and related mobile services, originally developed and maintained by the Canadian company Research In Motion (RIM, later known as BlackBerry Limited) until 2016. The first BlackBerry device ...

, cranberries but also in saskatoon berries and chokeberries. It is also found in

plum A plum is a fruit of some species in Prunus subg. Prunus, ''Prunus'' subg. ''Prunus'.'' Dried plums are often called prunes, though in the United States they may be labeled as 'dried plums', especially during the 21st century. Plums are ...

s and

pomegranate The pomegranate (''Punica granatum'') is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub in the family Lythraceae, subfamily Punica, Punicoideae, that grows between tall. Rich in symbolic and mythological associations in many cultures, it is thought to have o ...

s. Pelargonidin gives red radishes their color. It is present in large amounts in

kidney bean The kidney bean is a variety of the common bean (''Phaseolus vulgaris'') named for its resemblance to a human kidney. Classification There are different classifications of kidney beans, such as: *Red kidney bean (also known as common kidney ...

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 vinifera' ...

(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