Rubber & Other Tropical Plants

Hevea brasilensis

What is the scientific name of the rubber tree that has been used to extract rubber from in the past 2 centuries

Amazon rainforest, Americas

Where is rubber’s center of origin?

Phloem cells under the bark

What parts of the rubber tree gives us the liquid used for rubber and latex?

tapping where incisions are made along latex vessels under bark and sap is collected in buckets

The process of harvesting rubber is called:

Charles Goodyear (American)

invented vulcanization

vulcanization

rubber is heated with phosphate, peroxide, or bisphenol to give it more elasticity and resistance and also to prevent decay

Michelin brothers (French)

created a detachable pneumatic tire for bicyces

John Boyd Dunlap (Scotish)

Improved pneumatic tire

Benjamin Franklin Goodrich (American)

rubber hoses

Chico Mendez

Brazilian union leader of the rubber tappers & environmentalist in Brazil during the 1980s; he fought to preserve the Amazon forest & the rights of indigenous people

Guayule and Russian dandelion

alternatives to the rubber treee