Question

Tendu/Kendu leaves are used as wrappers for bidis are got from
A. Diospyros ebenum
B. Dipterocarpus indicus
C. Dipterocarpus tuberculatus
D. Diospyros melanoxylon

Answer 1

Hint: ’Bidis’ or cheap cigarette is made of unprocessed tobacco flakes wrapped in the leaves of a tendu tree. The tree is known as the East Indian ebony. The leaves are tied with thread or adhesive at their ends. It originated back in the 17th century in the Indian subcontinent. It is a traditional tobacco use method throughout South Asia.

Complete answer: ’Bidi’ or ‘beedi’ is a thin or mini cigar made from rolling tobacco flakes in leaves of the tendu tree, which is also called Diospyros melanoxylon. It is a species of flowering plants belonging to the family Ebenaceae. This plant is native to India and Sri Lanka. Its bark is characterized by being hard and dry in texture. The tree is known as ‘Tendu’ in Hindi and in Odisha, Assam and Jharkhand it is named ‘Kendu’. The fresh leaves of tendu are handpicked during summer and are dried for 10 days. After drying they can be used to wrap the cigar or bidi. Tendu leaves make an excellent wrapper for beedis as they additionally provide characteristic flavour to them. The collection of leaves is licensed by the state government. Bidi production is the source of income for many ladies in rural areas of India. The term ‘bidi’ is derived from the Marwari word ‘beeda’, which means a mixture of herbs, spices and betel nuts wrapped in a leaf.
NSo, option D is the correct answer.

Note: The leaves of the tree contain valuable flavonoids. One of these is pentacyclic triterpenes, which are known to show anti-microbial properties. Also, the bark of the tree is known to have effective action against the malaria-causing microbe.