Question

Latex cells occur in
A) Banyan
B) Calotropis
C) Oleander
D) All of the above

Answer 1

Latex is a strong dispersion (emulsion) of polymer micro particles in water. Latex as found in nature is a cloudy fluid found in 10% of all blossoming plants (angiosperms). It is a multifaceted emulsion consisting of alkaloids, starches, sugars, oils, tannins, proteins, resins, and gums that coagulate on experience to air. It is usually liberated after tissue injury.

Complete answer:
Latex cells, even though much branched like the latex vessels, are actually single or free units. They are created as minute structures and then, with the increase of the plant, lengthen and branch, ramifying in all directions throughout the tissues of the plant, but without joining together to form a network. Latex cells can be seen in madar (Calotropis), Oleander (Nerium), oleander (Thevetia), Ficus(banyan) etc.

Laticifers are extremely specialized cells forming a tube-like complex structure throughout the plant body, occurring in phylogenetically unconnected groups. Laticifers produce and store latex that is discharged upon rupture of laticifers.

Compounds pre-formed in the latex, such as peptidases, chitinases, and chitin-binding proteins, play imperative defensive tasks against microbes.

Hence, the correct answer is option (D).

Note: Latex produced in plants of wide taxonomic variety. Plants ooze latex sap in response to physical harm. Function of latex or the underlying mechanisms persist, but a role in protection is likely. The presence of subsequent peptidases in latex sap in addition to inducible and de novo created pathogenesis-related proteins (PR-proteins), hoised the issue about the role that each sap component plays to defend plants and how synergism happens among sap proteins in the course of herbivory or contagion.