1. a colorless compound found in plants that can be converted to indigo dye
Usage: chemistry; botany

Examples

• Indican is extracted from certain plants to produce natural indigo dye.
• The leaves contain high levels of indican, making them valuable for textile production.
• Traditional dye makers ferment plant materials to convert indican into blue pigment.
• Scientists study indican as a precursor to commercially important dyes.
• The concentration of indican varies depending on the plant species and growing conditions.