Question

When the large flightless bird Dodo became extinct on the island of Mauritius at the end of 18th Century, a tree also lost its ability to grow. Which was this tree?

• A. Raphia palm
• B. Baobab tree
• C. Tambalacoque tree
• D. Double coconut palm

Answer 1

The correct option is C Tambalacoque tree

Sideroxylon grandiflorum, known as tambalacoque or dodo tree, is a long-lived tree in the family Sapotaceae, endemic to Mauritius. It is valued for its timber. They are termed as drupes because they have a hard endocarp, or pit, surrounding the seed, with the endocarp naturally splitting along a fracture line during germination. In 1973, it was thought that this species was dying out. There were supposedly only 13 specimens left, all estimated to be about 300 years old. The true age could not be determined because tambalacoque has no growth rings. Stanley Temple hypothesized that the dodo, which became extinct in the 17th century, ate tambalacoque fruits, and only by passing through the digestive tract of the dodo could the seeds germinate.

So the correct option is 'tambalacoque tree'.