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📌 The Question:
Consider the following:

1. Cashew
2. Papaya
3. Red sanders

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

(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None

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✅ Correct Answer: (a) Only one

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🔍 Classroom Explanation (Core Concept):

• Cashew ❌
  Cashew (Anacardium occidentale) is native to northeastern Brazil.
  It was introduced to India by the Portuguese in the 16th century, mainly to prevent soil erosion along coastal areas.
• Papaya ❌
  Papaya (Carica papaya) originated in southern Mexico and Central America (Costa Rica region).
  Though India is the largest producer today, it is not native.
• Red sanders ✅
  Red sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus) is endemic to India, specifically to the Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh.
  It is a highly protected species due to its ecological and economic importance.

➡️ Hence, only one species (Red sanders) is native to India.

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🧠 Curiosity Raiser:
👉 India often leads the world in production of crops that are not native to it. Productivity ≠ Nativity.

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📚 Enrich Notes (Prelims Edge):

• Red sanders
  • Endemic to India
  • Listed under CITES Appendix II
  • Illegal trade is a major environmental crime topic
• Cashew & Papaya
  • Classic examples of colonial-era biological introductions
  • Frequently asked in “native vs exotic species” questions

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🕊️ IAS Monk Whisper:
“What grows best in a land may not belong to it — history travels through seeds.”