Recently, our scientists have discovered a new and distinct species of banana plant which attains a height of about 11 metres and has orange-coloured fruit pulp. In which part of India has it been discovered?
Answer & explanation
Answer: (a) Andaman Islands
The banana is Musa indandamanensis, a wild species described by a Botanical Survey of India scientist from the forests of Little Andaman in the Andaman Islands. The plant stands about 11 metres tall and its ripe fruit pulp turns yellowish orange.
- ✓ (a) The species was collected during floristic exploration of Little Andaman and published in 2014 as new to science. The author says the species is named after the Andaman Islands.
- ✗ (b) The Anaimalai (Western Ghats) forests are not where this species was found; its description records it from Little Andaman only.
- ✗ (c) The Maikala Hills in Chhattisgarh are not the discovery site.
- ✗ (d) The north-eastern rain forests hold other wild bananas, but this new species was described from the Bay Islands.
Remember · Musa indandamanensis, a new wild banana (about 11 m tall, orange pulp), was described from Little Andaman in 2014 by a Botanical Survey of India scientist.
Sources
- Andaman & Nicobar Administration, Daily Telegrams, 5 October 2015: BSI Scientist discovers new species of banana from A&N Islands ↗ “The Scientists of Botanical Survey of India claim to have discovered a new banana species in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.The discovery by BSI Scientist is the result of plant exploration in the Little Andaman Island.”
- L. J. Singh (Botanical Survey of India, Andaman & Nicobar Regional Centre), Taiwania 59(1): 26–36, 2014: Musa indandamanensis, a new species from the Bay Islands, India ↗ · reference work “Musa indandamanensis L. J. Singh is described and illustrated as a new species from Little Andaman, the Bay Islands, India. … robust stature of 11–11.30 m height with cylindrical inflorescence having green bract”
- Botanical Survey of India, Annual Report 2020-21 ↗ “M. indandamanensis L.J. Singh, M. paramjithiana L.J. Singh, M. sabuana K. Prasad et al. and M. balbisiana Colla var. andamanica Singh et al. from Andaman and Nicobar Islands.”
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2016, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·