“Cyclamen Red” Colors Based on a Macrocyclic Anthocyanin in Carnation Flowers

The “cyclamen” red (or pink) colors in carnation flowers cultivars Red Rox and eight others are based on the presence of a new macrocyclic anthocyanin, pelargonidin 3,5-di- O -β-glucoside(6‘ ‘,6‘ ‘‘-malyl diester) identified by spectroscopic methods. The instability of the bridging malyl group with sugars in acidic medium readily causes the formation of the opened ring form, 3- O -(6‘ ‘- O -malylglucoside)-5- O -glucoside. The issue of cyclamen colors based in carnations on this original acylated pelargonidin derivative simulating those based on simpler cyanidin glycosides in Rosa cultivars is discussed using CIELAB colorimetric coordinates.