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Q26 (IAS/2026) Environment & Ecology › Biodiversity & Protected Areas Official Key

Consider the following statements about Rhynchostylis retusa (Foxtail orchid):
1. It is an epiphytic orchid.
2. The species is endemic to North-east India.
3. It is the State flower of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: B

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct: Rhynchostylis retusa (commonly known as the Foxtail orchid) is an epiphytic orchid. Epiphytes are plants that grow on the surface of other plants (such as tree trunks) in open forests or forest margins, deriving their moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, and surrounding debris rather than from the soil.

Statement 2 is incorrect: The species is not endemic to North-east India. It has a very wide geographical distribution and is found across tropical Asia, including India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, China, Indochina, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

Statement 3 is correct: Rhynchostylis retusa is the officially recognized State flower of both Arunachal Pradesh and Assam. In Assam, it is locally called Kopou Phul and holds immense cultural significance, especially as it is traditionally worn as a hair ornament by dancers during the Rongali Bihu festival.

Therefore, only statements 1 and 3 are correct.

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PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN

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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.
Consider the following statements about Rhynchostylis retusa (Foxtail orchid): 1. It is an epiphytic orchid. 2. The species is endemic to No…
At a glance
Origin: Mostly Current Affairs Fairness: Low / Borderline fairness Books / CA: 0/10 · 10/10
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This is a classic 'State Symbol + Environment' bouncer. While standard books cover orchids as epiphytes, knowing the specific state flower of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, and its exact endemism, requires tracking environment-related current affairs (like the PIB release on the Foxtail Orchid development program). It's a borderline question where elimination is key.

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 Rhynchostylis retusa (Foxtail orchid) an epiphytic orchid?
Origin: Web / Current Affairs Fairness: CA heavy Web-answerable
Web / Current Affairs
forest.assam.gov.in Primary · Govt
Presence: 5/5
"Rhynchostylis retusa orchid is an epiphyte growing on tree trunks in open forest or at forest margins at elevations of 300 -1500 m (980 – 4920 ft)."
Why this source?
  • Official document from the Assam Forest Department (Silviculture Division) regarding tissue culture production technology.
  • Explicitly identifies Rhynchostylis retusa as an epiphyte that grows on tree trunks.
  • Describes its habitat in open forests or forest margins at specific elevations.
portals.iucn.org Standard ref
Presence: 5/5
Why this source?
  • Published by the Jharkhand Biodiversity Board (Government of Jharkhand).
  • Categorizes Rhynchostylis retusa within a list of 21 epiphytic orchids identified in surveys.
  • Discusses its medicinal uses and ecological importance as an indicator of healthy ecosystems.
tudr.thapar.edu Standard ref
Presence: 5/5
Why this source?
  • Source from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) Digital Repository (nic.in domain).
  • Confirms the epiphytic nature by describing its close affinity with host trees like Mangifera indica.
  • Lists it as a species that grows profusely on trees near highways.
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