What is "purple bacteria"

n. free-living Gram-negative pink to purplish-brown bacteria containing bacteriochlorophyll

Purple bacteria or purple photosynthetic bacteria are proteobacteria that are phototrophic, that is, capable of producing their own food via photosynthesis. They are pigmented with bacteriochlorophyll a or b, together with various carotenoids, which give them colours ranging between purple, red, brown, and orange. They may be divided into two groups – purple sulfur bacteria ( Chromatiales, in part) and purple non-sulfur bacteria ( Rhodospirillaceae).