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?

The correct answer is A) Andaman Islands. The new wild banana species was reported from the evergreen forests of the Andaman group, a region with a distinct Indo-Malayan floral character and high endemism. The orange pulp and a stature of about 11 metres are the features that set it apart from the common cultivated bananas.

Why the others are wrong:

• B) Anaimalai Forests lie in the southern Western Ghats on the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border. They are important for endemic plants, but this discovery was not made there.
• C) Maikala Hills form part of the Satpura-Maikal range in central India, the source region of the Narmada. It is not the home of this banana.
• D) Tropical rain forests of northeast are a rich Musa diversity zone, which makes the option tempting, but the question points to a fresh discovery that was made in Andaman.

The core concept is island endemism and the biogeographic link between Andaman and Southeast Asia. For Mains GS-III, this connects to biodiversity hotspots, bioprospecting, and the trade-off between development projects and fragile island ecosystems.

Trap: aspirants pick the northeast because it is the most famous diversity zone for bananas and wild relatives. Always check whether the question asks about a region of known diversity or a specific new discovery.