Question

When we boil tulsi leaves in water, the water acquires a characteristic smell from the leaves because the

• A. Smell of leaves diffuse in water.
• B. Leaves melt in water.
• C. Stored wastes in the leaves dissolve in water.
• D. Leaves pollute water.

Answer 1

Answer: (C)

Stored wastes in the leaves dissolve in water.

Many plants store organic waste products in their permanent tissues that have dead cells, e.g., in the heartwood. Plants also store waste within their leaves or barks. These wastes are periodically removed from the leaves and barks fall off. Some of the waste products are stored in special cells or cellular vacuoles. Various waste products such as tannins, essential oils, gums, resins, etc., are produced during catabolic processes. Tea leaves, amla and betel nuts (supari) contain tannin. Tannins are found also in the barks of trees. The leaves of many plants, like Eucalyptus, lemon, sacred basil (tulsi), etc., contain essential oils. The rind of oranges and lemons and the petals of flowers like rose and jasmine also contain oils. Some plant wastes are stored as a thick, white fluid. You may have seen white fluid ooze out when you pluck a papaya or a fig or the leaves of yellow oleander (pila kaner). This white fluid is called latex. So, when we boil tulsi leaves in water.water acquires a characteristic smell of leaves because stored wastes in the leaves dissolve in water.

Therefore, the correct answer is option C.