Question

Which is not the example of littoral and swamp forest of Sundarbans of West Bengal ?

• A. Agar
• B. Bhendi
• C. Keara
• D. Pula

Hint:

Mangrove (Sundarbans) Flora = Sundari, Pasur, Keora, Bhendi, Kankra, Bain. Agarwood (Aquilaria) = Wet tropical upland evergreen tree of Assam/North-East India.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Understanding the Question:
The question asks to identify the plant species that does NOT belong to the littoral and swamp mangrove forest flora of the Sundarbans in West Bengal.

Step 2: Ecological Distribution of Plant Species:

• Littoral & Swamp Mangrove Flora (Sundarbans): Tidal, halophytic vegetation capable of growing in saline, waterlogged coastal clay soils. Examples include Sundari (Heritiera fomes), Bhendi (Thespesia populnea), Keara (Sonneratia spp. Pandanus), Pula, and Rhizophora species.

• Agarwood (Aquilaria malaccensis): A tropical evergreen, high-altitude or foothill upland rainforest tree tive to North-East India (Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura). It requires well-drained acidic soil and is strictly non-halophytic.

Step 3: Detailed Explation:

• Agarwood tree stems produce valuable fragrant resinous wood (agarwood/oud) in response to fungal infection (Phialophora).
• It cannot survive in saline, muddy, intertidal swamp conditions characteristic of the Sundarbans.
• Bhendi, Keara, and Pula are well-documented coastal/mangrove species associated with tidal deltaic habitats.

Step 4: Fil Answer:
Agar is not an example of the littoral and swamp flora of Sundarbans. Thus, option (A) is correct.