UPSC Previous Year Question | Prelims GS | 2025

Consider the following pairs (Plant : Description): I. Cassava : Woody shrub II. Ginger : Herb with pseudostem III. Malabar spinach : Herbaceous climber IV. Mint : Annual shrub V. Papaya : Woody shrub. How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?

  1. Only two
  2. Only three
  3. Only four
  4. All five

Answer

Correct Answer

Only three

Explanation

Cassava is indeed a woody shrub (I correct), ginger is a herb with a pseudostem-like rhizomatous growth (II correct), and Malabar spinach is a herbaceous climbing vine (III correct). Mint is a perennial herb, not an annual shrub (IV incorrect), and papaya is a soft-stemmed, tree-like herb rather than a true woody shrub (V incorrect). Hence three pairs are correctly matched.

Topics: botany, plants, science and technology