Question

The commercial cork is obtained from
A. Quercus suber
B. Calotropis
C. Pine
D. Peepal

Answer 1

Cork is an impermeable buoyant material that is made up of the phellem layer of the bark tissue that is harvested mainly for commercial use. The cork is mainly composed of suberin which is a hydrophobic substance.

Complete answer:
Due to the impermeable and elastic nature of the cork, it is mainly used as wine stoppers. It also has a fire retard property. Robert Hooke examined cork under the microscope and it led to the discovery of cells. The montado landscape of Portugal produces half of the cork that is produced worldwide. The leading producer of cork is Corticeira Amorim. Cork is a very good thermal and noise insulator, hence it is used in musical instruments. It is also used in shoes for comfort. It is a very good material for fishing and used to make bulletin boards and is used as floor and wall tiles.
1. Quercus suber- It is commonly called the cork oak. It is a medium-sized oak tree. It is a slow-growing tree that is long-lived that can live up to 250 years. This tree is endemic to southwest Europe and northwest Africa.
2. Calotropis- It belongs to the family Apocynaceae. It is native to southern Asia and North Africa. They are commonly called the milkweed because it produces white colored milky latex.
3. Pine- It belongs to the family Pinaceae of Gymnosperms. It has the presence of needle-like leaves. It is mainly grown for soft timber that is used in furniture, tar and turpentine.
4. Peepal- The scientific name of the peepal tree is Ficus religiosa.It belongs to the family Moraceae. It is native to India. Peepal trees are worshiped all over India. It releases a large amount of oxygen.
The commercial cork is obtained from Quercus suber. The correct answer is option A.

Note: Economic botany is a branch of Botany that deals with the study of the plants that are beneficial to people. It contains medicinal plants, timber yielding plants, aesthetic plants, etc.