Question

What is the commercial source of cork? How is it formed in the plant?

Answer 1

The commerical cork is obtained from the cork tissue of Quercus suber, which yields bottle cork. Cork is formed by cork cambium or phellogen cell. Cork cambium cells divide periclinally, cutting cells towards the inside and outside. The cells cut off towards the outside become suberised and dead.

These are compactly packed in radial rows without intercellullar spaces and form cork of phellem. Cork is impervious to water due to suberin and provides protection to the underlying tissues.