Question

It is difficult to pull out the husk of a coconut tree due to _____________.

• A. Presence of parenchyma.
• B. Presence of sclerenchyma.
• C. Presence of collenchyma.
• D. Presence of aerenchyma.

Answer 1

The correct option is B Presence of sclerenchyma.

• Parenchyma cells are thin-walled, flexible and loosely packed cells. They are often alive at maturity. Their shape changes as per function. They are filler tissue in soft parts of a plant.
• Collenchyma cells are thin-walled with some areas of secondary thickening. They provide extra structural support and flexibility to plant. Coconut husk is not made of collenchymatous cells.
• In many aquatic plants, parenchyma cells have large air cavities to give buoyancy to the plant and enable them to float in water. Such parenchyma cells are called as aerenchyma.
• Sclerenchyma is dead, long, thin narrow cells. Walls of sclerenchyma cells are lignified, which make them thick. This tissue makes the plant hard and stiff. Coconut husk is very hard and is made of such thickened, lignified cells. Such cells make it very hard to pull out the coconut husk.
• Hence the correct option is B.