Antioxidants by nature: an ancient feature at the heart of flavonoids' multifunctionality

Ancient and ubiquitous class of flavonoids are highly responsive to abiotic and biotic environmental stressors and are capable of regulating key steps in plant growth and development. Their multifunctionality makes it difficult to determine the foremost environmental drivers for the emergence and diversification of the flavonoid metabolic network, despite decades of extensive research . We provide a detailed analysis of the complex relationship between the multifunctional nature of flavonoids and the environmental stimuli primarily responsible for the rise of the flavonoid metabolic network, offering conclusive evidence for the structural–functional relationship that is at the root of their functional versatility.