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Rhododendrons

2023 FEB 22

Preliminary   > Environment and Ecology   >   Biodiversity   >   Species in news

Why in news?

  • According to the Botanical Survey of India, Darjeeling and Sikkim Himalayas are home to more than one-third of all types of rhododendrons found in India.

About Rhododendrons:

  • Rhododendrons are native to many regions of the world, including Asia, Europe, North America, and Australia.
  • In India, it is found mainly in Eastern Himalayas, Western Himalayas and Nilgiris.
  • Some plants of Rhododendron are evergreen and some are deciduous in nature. They range from dwarf shrubs to large trees.

Uses:

  • Rhododendrons are popular ornamental plants and are often grown in gardens and parks
  • They have been used in traditional medicine for their medicinal properties. In some regions, the bark, leaves, and flowers of these plants are used to treat a range of ailments, including fever, headache, and inflammation.

Significance:

  • It is considered an indicator species for climate change.
  • It is the state tree of Uttarakhand and the state flower of Nagaland
  • Rhododendrons blooming in the Garhwal Himalayas are celebrated as ‘Phool Sankranti’, a festival of flowers.

PRACTICE QUESTION

UPSC 2014:

If you travel through the Himalayas, you are likely to see which of the following plants naturally growing there?

1. Oak

2. Rhododendron

3. Sandalwood

Select the correct answer using the code given below

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer