Question

Bhojpatra is obtained from –
A. Leaves of Piper
B. Leaves of Betula
C. Bark of Cinchona
D. Bark of Piper

Answer 1

Hint: It is also known as the Himalayan birch, a tree native to the Himalayas, growing at elevations up to 4,500 m. The white, paper-like bark of the tree was used in ancient times for writing Sanskrit scriptures and texts.

Complete answer:
Bhojpatra is obtained from the leaves of Betula. The bark is still used for writing sacred mantras, which after placing in an amulet are worn around the neck or arms for protection or blessing.
Additional information: Leaves of Betula utilis are oval, 5 to 10 cm long, and hairy with serrated margins. It flowers from May–July, with only a few male catkins, and short, single (sometimes paired) female catkins. Its fruits usually ripen in September- October. The thin, shiny, papery bark of the plant is reddish-brown, reddish-white, or white in color with horizontal lenticels. The bark peels off in broad, horizontal pieces, making it very useful for creating even large pages for writing texts. Its wood is very hard and heavy, and quite brittle.

So, the correct answer is ‘Leaves of Betula'.

Note: The bark is widely used for packaging material (particularly butter), roof construction, umbrella covers, bandages, etc. The wood is used for the construction of bridges and the leaves for fodder. They are widely used as firewood, which has caused large scale destruction of its habitat to be eliminated or reduced. Some parts of the plant, including the fungal growth (bhurja-granthi), have also long been applied as local traditional medicine.