4. (Phyto)chemical and botanical landmarks

A very large number of plant species, almost all of them, contain colorants, but only a limited number are sources of exploitable raw materials. Color molecules can be divided into different chemical families: flavonoids (flavones, flavonols, chalcones, aurones, anthocyanins), tannins, naphtho-, benzo- and anthraquinones, indigoids (and purples), carotenoids, chlorophylls. Most of these molecules are present in their native state in free form, but also in combined, glycosylated forms...

Table 1 shows the main chemical families concerned, examples of molecules and some plant species containing them.