Question map
Not attempted Correct Incorrect ★ Bookmarked
Loading…
Q30 (IAS/2024) Environment & Ecology › Biodiversity & Protected Areas › Invasive and exotic species Official Key

Consider the following : 1. Cashew 2. Papaya 3. Red sanders How many of the above trees are actually native to India ?

Result
Your answer: —  Âˇ  Correct: A
Explanation

The correct answer is option A (Only one) because among the three trees listed, only red sanders is native to India.

Cashew (Anacardium occidentale) belongs to the Anacardiaceae family[1], but it is actually native to Brazil and was introduced to India by the Portuguese in the 16th century. Papaya (Carica papaya) belongs to the Caricaceae family[2], and like cashew, it is native to Central and South America, having been introduced to India during the colonial period.

Red sanders is found in protected areas[3] in India, and it is indeed native to India, specifically endemic to the Eastern Ghats region of Andhra Pradesh. Red sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus) is an indigenous tree species that has been part of India's natural flora for centuries and is highly valued for its timber.

Therefore, of the three trees mentioned, only red sanders is actually native to India, making option A the correct answer.

Sources
  1. [1] https://openknowledge.fao.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/9700f044-6130-4c37-a8e8-f4ecfd8e46e1/content
  2. [2] https://openknowledge.fao.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/9700f044-6130-4c37-a8e8-f4ecfd8e46e1/content
  3. [3] https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/775421468041651915/pdf/ICR14640P073091e0only1910BOX353794B.pdf
How others answered
Each bar shows the % of students who chose that option. Green bar = correct answer, blue outline = your choice.
Community Performance
Out of everyone who attempted this question.
67%
got it right
PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
Guest preview
Don’t just practise – reverse-engineer the question. This panel shows where this PYQ came from (books / web), how the examiner broke it into hidden statements, and which nearby micro-concepts you were supposed to learn from it. Treat it like an autopsy of the question: what might have triggered it, which exact lines in the book matter, and what linked ideas you should carry forward to future questions.
Q. 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]…
At a glance
Origin: Mixed / unclear origin Fairness: Low / Borderline fairness Books / CA: 0/10 ¡ 0/10
You're seeing a guest preview. The Verdict and first statement analysis are open. Login with Google to unlock all tabs.

This question is a classic intersection of History (Columbian Exchange) and Environment (Endemism). While Red Sanders is a standard 'Red Book' species, Cashew and Papaya require knowing the 'Portuguese Introduction' list found in NCERT History. It tests if you can distinguish between 'traditional' crops and 'colonial' introductions.

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1
Is the cashew tree (Anacardium occidentale) native to India?
Origin: Weak / unclear Fairness: Borderline / guessy
Indirect textbook clues
Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 12: Major Crops and Cropping Patterns in India > Cashew-nut (Anacardium occidentale) > p. 49
Strength: 5/5
“Cashew is cultivated widely throughout the tropics for its kernels. In India, it is grown in the west coast, east coast and a few plain areas of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. Te highest productivity is recorded in Maharashtra with 1.5 tonnes per hectare. Cashew tolerates wide range of geo-climatic conditions. Te plantation of cashew is restricted to altitude below 700 m where the temperature does not fall below 20°C for prolonged periods. However, the best production is recorded upto the altitude of 400 m with at least 9 hour sunlight/day from December to May.”
Why relevant

Describes where cashew is widely cultivated in India (west coast, east coast, and specific states) and the climatic/altitudinal conditions it prefers.

How to extend

A student could compare this cultivated distribution with known native-range patterns (e.g., whether a species’ natural range aligns with wild populations or only with plantations) or look for historical records of introduction in those coastal areas.

Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 12: Major Crops and Cropping Patterns in India > Cashew-nut (Anacardium occidentale) > p. 50
Strength: 4/5
“Cashew plants start bearing fruits three years after planting. Tey provide full yield by tenth year and continue giving remunerative yields for a further period of 20 years. Cashew nuts are harvested during February-May. Only fully mature nuts should be harvested. Usually, the nuts are picked after they fall of from the trees. Te best quality of nuts are obtained where freshly fallen fruits are collected. On an average a tree provides 2 kg nuts at the age of 3-5 years, 4 kg (6-10 years), 5-10 kg at 11-15 years, and more than 10 kg at 15-20 years.”
Why relevant

Gives detailed cultivation biology (time to fruiting, harvesting season) showing cashew functions as an established cultivated crop in India.

How to extend

Use this to distinguish long-established cultivation from native wild occurrence by searching for mentions of wild cashew populations or ethnobotanical records predating large-scale cultivation.

Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 12: Transport, Communications and Trade > 9. Increasing Import of Raw Material > p. 50
Strength: 3/5
“India is importing cashew-nut, cotton, gems, jute, mineral ores, pearls, precious and semi-precious stones, and raw silk.”
Why relevant

Notes that India imports cashew-nut, indicating international trade in cashew products.

How to extend

A student could infer that trade history might involve importation/introduction routes and follow trade/colonial records to check if cashew was historically introduced rather than indigenous.

Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 5: Natural Vegetation and National Parks > IMPORTANT SPECIES OF TREES AND THEIR UTILITY > p. 20
Strength: 3/5
“On the basis of type of species and utility, the trees of India may be classified under the following categories: • 1. Woods from Evergreen Forests.• 2. Woods from Monsoon Forests.• 3. Woods from Subtropical (Himalayan Forests).”
Why relevant

Provides a framework for classifying Indian tree species by forest type (evergreen, monsoon, subtropical), useful for assessing whether cashew fits native vegetation categories.

How to extend

Compare cashew’s preferred habitats from snippet 1 with the native-vegetation types listed here to see if cashew matches typical native species of those forest types or appears as a cultivated outsider.

Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 10: Indian Forest > 10.1.3. Tropical Moist Deciduous Forests > p. 161
Strength: 2/5
“Moist deciduous forests are found throughout India except in the western and the north-western regions. The trees are tall, have broad trunks, branching trunks and roots to hold them firmly to the ground. Some of the tailer trees shed their leaves in the dry season. There is a layer of shorter trees and evergreen shrubs in the undergrowth. These forests are dominated by sal and teak, along with mango, bamboo, and rosewood.”
Why relevant

Describes dominant native tree species in moist deciduous forests (e.g., sal, teak, mango), illustrating examples of species known as native.

How to extend

A student could contrast this list of native trees with cashew’s absence from the list to motivate checking historical/biogeographic sources for cashew’s native status.

Statement analysis

This statement analysis shows book citations, web sources and indirect clues. The first statement (S1) is open for preview.

Login with Google to unlock all statements.

Statement analysis

This statement analysis shows book citations, web sources and indirect clues. The first statement (S1) is open for preview.

Login with Google to unlock all statements.

How to study

This tab shows concrete study steps: what to underline in books, how to map current affairs, and how to prepare for similar questions.

Login with Google to unlock study guidance.

Micro-concepts

Discover the small, exam-centric ideas hidden in this question and where they appear in your books and notes.

Login with Google to unlock micro-concepts.

The Vault

Access hidden traps, elimination shortcuts, and Mains connections that give you an edge on every question.

Login with Google to unlock The Vault.

✓ Thank you! We'll review this.

SIMILAR QUESTIONS

IAS ¡ 2016 ¡ Q53 Relevance score: 2.51

With reference to 'Red Sanders', sometimes seen in the news, consider the following statements : 1. It is a tree species found in a part of South India. 2. It is one of the most important trees in the tropical rain forest arcas of South India. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

IAS ¡ 2025 ¡ Q75 Relevance score: 1.21

Consider the following fruits : I. Papaya II. Pineapple III. Guava How many of the above were introduced in India by the Portuguese in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries?

IAS ¡ 2012 ¡ Q22 Relevance score: -0.74

Consider the following : 1. Black-necked crane 2. Cheetah 3. Flying squirrel 4. Snow leopard Which of the above are naturally found in India ?

IAS ¡ 2023 ¡ Q3 Relevance score: -0.85

Consider the following trees : 1. Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) 2. Mahua (Madhuca indica) 3. Teak (Tectona grandis) How many of the above are deciduous trees?

IAS ¡ 2012 ¡ Q72 Relevance score: -0.98

Consider the following crops of India? 1. Groundnut 2. Sesamum 3. Pearl millet Which of the statements given above is/are predominantly rainfed crop/crops?