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UPSC Prelims 2026 GS Paper 1, question 36

Topic: Environment and ecology

Q36

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 ?

  1. (a) 1 only
  2. (b) 1 and 3Correct answer
  3. (c) 2 and 3
  4. (d) 3 only

Solution.

Answer: (b) 1 and 3

  1. Statement 1 is correct: Rhynchostylis retusa (Foxtail orchid) is an epiphytic orchid that grows on tree trunks and branches in tropical and subtropical forests.
  2. Statement 2 is incorrect: it is not endemic to North-east India; it occurs across Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, the Western Ghats, Sri Lanka, and Southeast Asia.
  3. Statement 3 is correct: locally known as Kopou Phool in Assam, Rhynchostylis retusa is the official State flower of both Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.