Flavonoids and flower colour

Abstract

Flower colour results from the preferential absorption of part of the visible light by one, or several, chemical compound(s) synthesized by higher plants. Since plants cannot ‘see’ their own colours, it is conceivable that the colour signals emerging from flowers are messages interpretable by mammals as well as by birds and insects (Harborne, 1976). Thus colour is most likely a link between animals and plants, as are flower shape, scent and taste. In particular, insects and birds attracted by colour pollinate the flowers and aid the survival of plant species. In contrast to man, some insects, especially bees, can perceive in the near ultraviolet (340–380 nm) as well as in the visible.