UPSC Prelims 2024 Q30: Environment & Ecology – Biodiversity & Conservation
Consider the following:
1. Cashew
2. Papaya
3. Red sanders
How many of the above trees are actually native to India?
- (a) Only one
- (b) Only two
- (c) All three
- (d) None
Answer: (a) Only one
Explanation
Which of these trees is native to India?
| Tree | Native region | Reached India |
|---|---|---|
| Cashew | North-east Brazil | Brought by the Portuguese to Goa in the 16th century, first for soil conservation |
| Papaya | Central America / southern Mexico | Spread by Spanish and Portuguese traders in the 16th century |
| Red sanders | India — endemic to the Eastern Ghats (Seshachalam, Andhra Pradesh) | Native |
Red sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus):
| Detail | Fact |
|---|---|
| Value | Prized red wood for furniture, dye and instruments; heavily smuggled |
| IUCN status | Endangered |
| CITES | Appendix II |
Only one of the three is native.
Answer: (a) Only one.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) CORRECT. Only red sanders is native (Eastern Ghats); cashew is from Brazil and papaya from Central America.
- (b) Incorrect. Two would wrongly count cashew or papaya, both introduced from the Americas.
- (c) Incorrect. India is a top producer of cashew and papaya, but neither is native.
- (d) Incorrect. Red sanders is endemic to India's Eastern Ghats.
Key point
Cashew (Brazil) and papaya (Central America) came via the Portuguese; red sanders is endemic to the Eastern Ghats.
Remember
Red sanders is native to India; cashew and papaya came from the Americas.
Common mistakes
- Assuming cashew is native because India is a leading producer and exporter.
- Treating papaya as Indian because it is grown everywhere in Indian homes.
- Confusing red sanders with sandalwood; they are different trees.
Exam tip
Many 'Indian' crops came from the Americas via the Portuguese: cashew, papaya, chilli, potato, tomato, pineapple, guava.
Sources
- Botanical Survey of India — Pterocarpus santalinus
- IUCN Red List — Pterocarpus santalinus
- ICAR — Directorate of Cashew Research, crop history