49. Match the plant products with their sources and the plant parts from which they are obtained.
Product Source Plant part
P. Annatto 1. Acacia catechu i. Seed
Q. Cutch 2. Rubia tinctorum ii. Leaf
R. Henna 3. Bixa orellana iii. Root
S. Alizarin 4. Lawsonia inermis iv. Stem
(A) P-3-ii, Q-4-i, R-2-iii, S-1-iv
(B) P-3-i, Q-1-iv, R-4-ii, S-2-iii
(C) P-2-ii, Q-1-iii, R-4-iv, S-3-i
(D) P-4-ii, Q-3-iv, R-1-iii, S-2-i
Annatto, cutch, henna, and alizarin represent key natural dyes from specific plants and parts, commonly tested in botany exams. The correct matching identifies their precise sources and extraction sites for accurate recall.
Correct Answer
Option (B) is correct: P-3-i, Q-1-iv, R-4-ii, S-2-iii.
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P. Annatto → 3. Bixa orellana → i. Seed: Annatto derives from the seeds of the achiote tree (Bixa orellana), providing orange-red pigment via bixin.
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Q. Cutch → 1. Acacia catechu → iv. Stem: Cutch (catechu) comes from the heartwood or stem extracts of Acacia catechu, yielding tannins for dyeing.
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R. Henna → 4. Lawsonia inermis → ii. Leaf: Henna’s red dye, lawsone, is obtained from the leaves of Lawsonia inermis.
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S. Alizarin → 2. Rubia tinctorum → iii. Root: Alizarin, a red anthraquinone dye, extracts from the roots of madder (Rubia tinctorum).
Why Other Options Fail
Option (A) mismatches Annatto to leaf (wrong part), Cutch to seed, Henna to root, and Alizarin to stem, inverting known sources.
Option (C) wrongly assigns Annatto to leaf from Rubia, Cutch to root from Acacia, Henna to stem from Lawsonia, and Alizarin to seed from Bixa.
Option (D) incorrectly links Annatto to leaf from Lawsonia, Cutch to stem from Bixa, Henna to root from Acacia, and Alizarin to seed from Rubia.
Botanical Significance
These dyes highlight plant secondary metabolites: carotenoids in Annatto seeds for colorants, tannins in Acacia stems for leather, lawsone in henna leaves for body art, and anthraquinones in madder roots for textiles. Such knowledge aids in pharmacognosy and sustainable dye industries.
