Consider the following : Cashew Papaya Red sanders How many of th

Consider the following :

  • Cashew
  • Papaya
  • Red sanders

How many of the above trees are actually native to India ?

Only one
Only two
All three
None
This question was previously asked in
UPSC IAS – 2024
Out of the three trees listed, only Red Sanders is native to India.
– Cashew (*Anacardium occidentale*) is native to Brazil and was introduced to India by the Portuguese.
– Papaya (*Carica papaya*) is native to tropical America (southern Mexico and Central America) and was later spread globally.
– Red Sanders (*Pterocarpus santalinus*) is endemic to a specific geographical region in India, namely the Eastern Ghats mountain range in the southern part of the Indian peninsula.
Identifying native species is important for biodiversity conservation and understanding ecological roles. While Cashew and Papaya are now widely cultivated in India, they are not indigenous to the country’s flora. Red Sanders is valued for its rich red wood and is unfortunately listed as ‘Endangered’ by the IUCN due to overexploitation.
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