Psidium guajava is the scientific (binomial) name of which commonly eaten fruit plant?

Introduction / Context:

Scientific names, also called binomial names, are used to correctly identify and classify organisms across the world. Each name has a genus and a species part, such as Homo sapiens for humans. In botany and general knowledge exams, students are often asked to match scientific names with common names of familiar plants. Psidium guajava is one such example, and knowing its common name helps in understanding plant taxonomy and horticulture.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The binomial name given is Psidium guajava.
• We must identify the corresponding common fruit plant.
• Options list common plants such as guava, mango, bamboo, jackfruit, and banana.
• We assume the learner is familiar with basic examples of scientific names used in school level botany.

Concept / Approach:

In binomial nomenclature, Psidium is the genus and guajava is the species name. This scientific name is assigned to the plant commonly known as guava, which bears round or pear shaped fruits with a distinctive aroma. Guava is widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions. Mango has the scientific name Mangifera indica, jackfruit is Artocarpus heterophyllus, banana is Musa species, and bamboo includes many species in genera such as Bambusa and Dendrocalamus. By matching these well known pairs, we can determine that Psidium guajava refers specifically to the guava plant.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Step 1: Recall common examples of binomial names taught in school botany. Step 2: Identify Psidium guajava as the standard scientific name given for guava. Step 3: Compare this with other scientific names such as Mangifera indica for mango and Musa species for banana. Step 4: Confirm that none of the other options use the genus Psidium in their scientific names. Step 5: Select guava as the plant that matches Psidium guajava.

Verification / Alternative check:

Lists of important crop plants in textbooks and competitive exam guides typically include Psidium guajava as the scientific name for guava. Horticulture references and agricultural websites also use Psidium guajava when describing guava varieties, cultivation practices, and plant diseases. Meanwhile, mango is consistently listed as Mangifera indica, and jackfruit as Artocarpus heterophyllus. These sources collectively confirm that Psidium guajava belongs to guava.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

Option B, Mango, is incorrect because its scientific name is Mangifera indica, not Psidium guajava. Option C, Bamboo, is a group of grasses belonging to genera like Bambusa, not Psidium. Option D, Jackfruit, has the scientific name Artocarpus heterophyllus. Option E, Banana, is from genus Musa. None of these match the genus and species combination Psidium guajava, so they are not correct answers.

Common Pitfalls:

Students sometimes focus only on the species name guajava and fail to recognise the genus Psidium, or they may mix up similar sounding Latin names. Others might remember that mango and banana are often mentioned in botany classes and guess one of them instead. To avoid such confusion, it is helpful to memorise a small table of common fruits with their scientific names, including guava as Psidium guajava, mango as Mangifera indica, and banana as Musa species.

Final Answer:

Psidium guajava is the scientific name of the fruit plant Guava.