Economic Importance of Plants (GATE)

This option is correct because Ephedra species produce the alkaloid ephedrine, which is used in various medications and the cancer treatment drug topotecan is an extract of Camptotheca sp.

Flax fibre is extracted from the bast or skin of the stem of Linum usitatissimum. Flax fibre is soft, lustrous and flexible in property. It is stronger than cotton fibre, but less elastic.

Tobacco is a plant within the genus Nicotiana of the Solanaceae family. It has nicotine, which is a psychotropic drug.
Erythroxylum coca is a tropical shrub that belongs to the family Erythroxylaceae, the leaves of which are the source of cocaine.
The genus Ephedra belongs to the family Ephedraceae and contains alkaloid, ephedrine. It works mainly by increasing the activity of norepinephrine (noradrenalin) on adrenergic receptors.

Hence, A and B both have narcotic effect.

Two chemotherapy drugs, etoposide and teniposide, are derived from toxins found in Podophyllum peltatum. Pacitaxel is an anticancer drug that is obtained from Taxus brevifolia.

Gum arabic is the most widely used and traded of the true water-soluble gums. True gum arabic is produced by Acacia senegal. Its main food-related uses are in confectionery, soft drinks and alcoholic beverages.

The edible beverages prepared from Theobroma are cocoa and chocolate. Coffee and Khus are obtained from Coffea arabica and Vetiveria zizaniodes, respectively.

This option is correct because Hevea braseliensis, Ficus elastic and Maniliot glaziovii are rubber-yielding plants.

Ficus elastica belongs to the family Moraceae and is called Indian rubber.

The indigenous medicinal plant, Adhatoda vasica, commonly known as vasaka, is used as a herbal remedy for allergen-induced bronchial obstruction, asthma and tuberculosis. It contains Vasicine alkaloid.

Jojoba esters are the ester matter produced in the seed of Simmondsia chinensis. Tagua nut is a product made from the very hard white endosperm of the seeds of certain palm tree species in the genus Phytelephas native to South America, which are the most important sources of tagua nut. Dende oil is an edible vegetable oil derived from the mesocarp (reddish pulp) of the fruit of the oil palms, primarily the African oil palm Elaeis guineensis. Guayule is obtained from Porthenium argeratum.

There are over 150 species of timber that are produced in India. Following are some varieties of timber trees that are used for engineering purposes in India:
Artocarpus hirsutus, Terminalia arjuna, Anogeissus latifolia, Acacia nilotica, Ficus benghalensis, etc.

Hence, the set ‘Artocarpus hirsutus, Terminalia arjuna, Anogeissus latifolia’ represents timber-yielding plants.

Henna contains lawsone, a naphthoquinone compound, as a colouring agent. Shikonin is the principal colouring pigment of purple gromwell (Lithospermum erythrorhizon).

The Pyrethrins are a pair of natural organic compounds, which are normally derived from Chrysanthemum cinerariifolium that have potent insecticidal activity.
The alkaloid solanine is derived from unripe fruits of Solanum dulcamara and showed antidermatophytic activity against Chrysosporium indicum.

All parts of Datura plants contain tropane alkaloids - atropine, hyoscyamine and scopolamine, which are classified as deliriants or anticholinergics. Atropa belladonna contains active agents in belladonna, atropine, hyoscine and hyoscyamine, and have anticholinergic properties. Solanum dulcamara contains the alkaloids, solanine (from unripe fruits), solasodine (from flowers) and beta-solamarine (from roots).
Hence, P and Q both produce atropine alkaloid.

Maniliot glaziovii is a rubber-yielding plant, Areca catechu is used as a masticatory along with betel, Cedrella toona is a timber-yielding plant and Hibiscus subdarifa is a fibre-yielding plant.

Hence, the correct sequence is A - 2, B - 1, C - 5, D - 3.