AIM

ADVANCED INTEGRATED MENTORSIP PROGRAM

PLANT SPECIES

(Value Addition for Prelims 2024)

aim@nextias.com | 9910019703

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 PLANT SPECIES
GOOSEBERRY
WHY IN NEWS: Finds prominence in Government
schemes like One District One product, Assam
government’s fight against anemia.
WHY IN NEWS: The potential benefits of
peppermint leaves for a revitalized and healthier
lifestyle are getting viral on Social Media.
NATIVE: Europe and the Middle East
NATURE:
 Tropical and sub-tropical areas
 Belongs to the Lamiaceae family
 Strongly aromatic perennial herb
 A hybrid between spearmint and water mint

HABITAT:
 Moist habitats
 Stream sides and drainage ditches.

USE:
NATIVE: Europe and West Asia  Essential oils
NATURE:  High Menthol content
 Deciduous Region  Herbal medicine
 It belongs to the Phyllanthaceae family  Anti-itch and cooling agent
 Seeds germinate in the spring
RECENT SIGNIFICANCE/CHARACTERISTICS:
HABITAT: Sub-tropical and tropical regions of  Anesthetic, Antifungal, Antimicrobial,
South Asia Antihelmintic, Antioxidant
USE:  It is promoted for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

 Rich in Vitamin C  Improving other digestive problems.

 Iron and antioxidants  Confectionaries and beverages

 Reducing cholesterol levels, including the fatty LAVENDER

acids called triglycerides

RECENT SIGNIFICANCE/CHARACTERISTICS:
 Flowers are greenish-yellow and appear in
clusters
 Green, orange, red, purple, yellow, white, or black
 Anti-aging, antioxidant, and anti-carcinogenic
properties

PEPPERMINT

WHY IN NEWS: Lavender is the primary crop

behind the Purple revolution and Aroma Mission
promoted by CSIR.
NATIVE: Mountainous zones of the Mediterranean
region

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AIM for CSE 2024
NATURE:
 Short-lived perennial or annual herb
 Belongs to the Mint family Lamiaceae
 Fragrant flowering plant known for its aromatic
purple flowers
 Drought-resistant crops
HABITAT:
Tropical and sub-tropical part of the world
USE:
 Cultivated for its essential oil
 Aromatherapy, cosmetics, and culinary
applications
 To make incense sticks
 Hydrosol
 The ancient Egyptians used lavender in the
mummification process
 Aroma Mission aims to cultivate lavender for the
agro-economy
RECENT SIGNIFICANCE/CHARACTERISTICS:
 Doubling farmer's income
 Promote Entrepreneurship
 Purple Revolution to promote crop cultivation
 Antibacterial and antifungal effects
 Fragrances, therapeutics, and cooking and as an
ornamental shrub
 Agri- start-up initiative for the Entrepreneur
 India is a net importer of Lavender oil
 It is a low-maintenance crop, which can be used
from its second year of plantation and blossoms
for fifteen years
 100 individual phytochemicals have
identified in lavender oil
JATROPHA CURCAS
WHY IN NEWS: Listed as one of the eligible plants
for biofuel production in National Biofuel
Guidelines
Plant Species: Value Addition
NATIVE: Central America and Mexico
NATURE:
 Semi-evergreen and Deciduous
 Resistant to Extreme Conditions (High Salinity,
Temperatures)
 It belongs to the Euphorbiaceae plant family
 It is a perennial plant
 Allelopathic (Release Toxins)
 Seeds (27-40% Oil)
HABITAT:
 Tropical and Sub-Tropical region
USE:
 Antibacterial activity
 Oil is used for Jets, transformers, and high-
hydrocarbon
 Being Tested for Carbon Sequestration
 Biodiesel production
RECENT SIGNIFICANCE/CHARACTERISTICS:
 It is a drought-resistant perennial plant that can
grow in marginal or poor soil
 It produces seeds for 50 years
 Its oil also acts as an insecticide
 The seeds have an oil content of 37% which be
combusted as fuel without being refined
 It burns with clear smoke-free flame
RHODODENDRONS
been
WHY IN NEWS: Darjeeling and Sikkim Himalayas
are home to more than one-third of all types of
rhododendrons found in India.
NATIVE:
Appalachians of eastern North America, from
Alabama north to coastal Nova Scotia
NATURE:
 Evergreen or deciduous shrubs
 The pink Rhododendron is the state flower of
Himachal Pradesh
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 Rhododendron arboreum is the state flower of
Nagaland and the official State Tree of
Uttarakhand
 132 taxa (80 species, 25 subspecies, and 27
varieties) of rhododendrons found in India
 Indicator species for climate change
HABITAT:
 Temperate regions of Asia, North America, and
Europe, as well as the tropical regions of
southeast Asia and northern Australia
USE:
 Used in Traditional Medicines
 Prevent and treatment of diseases associated with
heart, dysentery, diarrhea, detoxification,
inflammation, fever, constipation, bronchitis, and
asthma
RECENT SIGNIFICANCE/CHARACTERISTICS:
 Showy clusters of large, brightly coloured flowers
 Red flowers and woody growth of some species
 The range of colours is white, yellow, pink, scarlet,
purple, and blue
NEELA KURINJI
WHY IN NEWS: The Ministry of Environment,
Forest and Climate Change (MoEF) has listed
Neelakurinji (Strobilanthes kunthiana) under
Schedule III of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
NATIVE: Endemic to Western Ghats
NATURE:
 The purplish-blue flower blossoms only once in 12
years as the pollination of flowers needs a longer
period
 It belongs to the Acanthaceae family
 It can also be found in Eastern Ghats Shrevoy, the
Annamalai hills of Idukki district, the Agali hills of
Palakkad in Kerala, and the Sandur hills of Bellary
district in Karnataka
HABITAT:
 Shola forests of the Western Ghats in Kerala,
Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu
 Mountainous habitat
Plant Species: Value Addition
USE:
 The Paliyan tribe in Tamil Nadu used the
blooming cycle of the Neelakurinji flower as a
means to calculate their age
 It helps in maintaining the ecological balance
 It is anxiolytic, anti-diabetic, laxative, anti-cancer,
diuretic, anti-arthritic, anti-inflammatory
 The honey from Neelakurinji lasts for more than
15 years
RECENT SIGNIFICANCE/CHARACTERISTICS:
 The flowering of Kurinji is considered auspicious
by both the Muthuvas of Munnar and the Todas of
the Nilgiris
 It gave the Nilgiri Mountain range
 Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and
Climate Change (MoEFCC) added the Neelakurinji
flower to the list of protected plants under
Schedule III of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972
WATER HYACINTH
WHY IN NEWS: Water Hyacinth was used in West
Bengal to develop a small-scale cottage industry
that is both financially rewarding as well as
environmentally friendly in approach.
NATIVE: Aquatic plant native to Brazil, South
America
NATURE:
 Herbaceous evergreen perennial
 It is now present on all continents except
Antarctica
 It does not grow where the average salinity is
greater than 15% of that of seawater
HABITAT:
Its habitat ranges from tropical desert to
subtropical or warm, temperate desert to
rainforest zones
USE:
 Anti-inflammatory, antifungal, and antibacterial
functions
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 It is used as a hair fragrance, to treat cholera, sore
throat, and snake bites
 It uses the plant biomass in compost for
agriculture or as a substrate to produce biogas,
bioethanol, and biochar with applications for
electricity production
 Biochar is an alternative to composting which can
also be beneficial for improving the productivity
of soils
RECENT SIGNIFICANCE/CHARACTERISTICS:
 It could affect the photosynthesis of
phytoplankton, submerged plants, and algae by
water environment quality and inhibit their
growth
 It has 5 different species and has dark feathery
root
CASSAVA
WHY IN NEWS: Listed as one of the eligible plants
for biofuel production in National Biofuel
Guidelines
NATIVE: Brazil and parts of the Andes, South
America
NATURE:
 Horticulture crop
 It is a Perennial plant and drought-tolerant crop
 The roots are rich in starch, Calcium,
Phosphorous, thiamin, folic acid, manganese, and
vitamin C
HABITAT: Tropics and Sub-Tropic region
USE:
 Cassava root and leaves are eaten as food
 Industrial raw Materials like medicine, cosmetics,
textile, paper, confectionery, beverage, feed,
biodegradable materials, adhesives and glues,
chemicals, fuel ethanol
 Rich in Fermentable substances
Plant Species: Value Addition
RECENT SIGNIFICANCE/CHARACTERISTICS:
 It prefers red lateritic loamy soil
 It thrives best in a tropical, warm, humid climate
 cassava contains chemicals called cyanogenic
glycosides. These chemicals can release cyanide in
the body
MORINGA
WHY IN NEWS: Listed as one of the eligible plants
for biofuel production in National Biofuel
Guidelines
NATIVE: Northwestern India
NATURE:
 Fast-growing, drought-resistant tree
 Deciduous tree and grown in Semiarid region
 It belongs to the Moringaceae family
 It is used in South and Southeast Asia
HABITAT:
Tropical and Subtropical areas
USE:
 It is used for diabetes, Antimicrobial, Lower
cholesterol, Antioxidant
 Its extract as bio-fertilizer positively influences
Agriculture
 Seeds of the Moringa can also be used for
production of biofuel
RECENT SIGNIFICANCE/CHARACTERISTICS:
 India is the largest producer of moringa
 Moringa products, such as Moringa Leaf Powder,
Moringa Oil, Moringa flower, etc
 It is rich in Vitamins, Iron, and Magnesium
 It has extremely low fat and no cholesterol
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AIM for CSE 2024 Plant Species: Value Addition

POTATO WHY IN NEWS: Listed as one of the eligible plants

for biofuel production in National Biofuel
Guidelines
NATIVE: Ethiopian region of East Africa

NATURE:
 Evergreen herbaceous
 Semi-woody large shrub or small tree
 It contains 45-47% of the non-edible oil
 Perennial flowering plant

WHY IN NEWS: The ICAR-Central Tuber Crops
Research Institute (CTCRI) has potato as the
primary plant in its tuber-based “rainbow diet”
campaign
NATIVE: Peruvian-Bolivian Andes
NATURE:
 Herbaceous Perennial plant in the family
Solanaceae
 The Potato plants are mostly cross-pollinated by
insects
 The plants have different colors like, pink, red,
white, blue, purple, and yellow
HABITAT:
Cold Andean steppes to the warm tropical coastal
regions, and from sub-tropical rain forest to the
dry Atacama deserts
USE:
 It is rich in Fiber, Potassium, Vitamin C, Vitamin
B6
 Production of Starch and Alcohol
 Tubers are the stems of potatoes. It has rich
Nutrients
RECENT SIGNIFICANCE/CHARACTERISTICS:
 Per capita production is the highest in the world
 China and India are the leading producers of
potatoes
 It is the staple food in many parts of the world
 There are 5000 different varieties of Potato
HABITAT:
 Tropical and warm temperate regions
 Mediterranean Basin, Eastern Africa, India, and
throughout the world
USE:
 Its diverse phytochemicals have a wide range of
valuable medicinal activities including
hepatoprotective, anti-nociceptive, antioxidant,
antiulcer, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, central
analgesic, antidiabetic, etc
 Juice from the leaves of the Castor plant is used
against rheumatism, headache, dropsy (edema),
abscesses, ringworms, and warts
 Castor oil is used as a lubricant in all moving parts
of the machinery, particularly high-speed engines
and airplanes
RECENT SIGNIFICANCE/CHARACTERISTICS:
 The seeds contain between 40% and 60% oil that
is rich in triglycerides, mainly ricinolein
 Castor plants can reduce soil pollution
 It is an industrial non-edible oilseed crop
 India contributes 28% of the world’s acreage and
36% of the total output
 Gujarat developed the hybrid variety first in the
world
HIBISCUS CANNABBINUS

CASTOR

WHY IN NEWS: Listed as one of the eligible plants

for biofuel production in National Biofuel
Guidelines and got famous in social media for

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Hibiscus Kombucha
NATIVE: Africa
NATURE:
 It Belongs to the family Malvaceae also called
Deccan hemp and Java jute
 It is an annual or biennial herbaceous plant
 It is also called as Kenaf
HABITAT: Warm, Temperate, Tropical
subtropical regions
USE:
 It recovers polyphenol and flavonoid, antioxidant,
anticancer, and antibacterial properties
 The main uses of kenaf fibre have been rope,
twine, coarse cloth (similar to that made from
jute), and paper.
 It is used for engineered wood, insulation,
clothing-grade cloth, soil-less potting mixes,
animal bedding, packing material, and material
that absorbs oil and liquids.
RECENT SIGNIFICANCE/CHARACTERISTICS:
 It is a fast-growing plant
 It consists of 35%-40% and 60%-65% of bast and
core fibers
 Kenaf seeds yield an edible vegetable oil
 It can generate higher biomass than that of forest
species
NEEM
WHY IN NEWS: Uttar Pradesh to encourage
plantation of Malabar Neem tree to improve
groundwater level
NATIVE: North-Eastern region of the Indian sub-
continent and Southeast Asia
Plant Species: Value Addition
NATURE:
 It belongs to the mahogany family Meliaceae
 Fast Growing tree
 Evergreen and shredding leaves during the winter
 Drought Resistance tree
HABITAT: Tropics and sub-tropical region
USE:
and  It is used for pesticide control
 Inflammation, infections, fever, skin diseases and
dental disorders
 Neem oil, soaps, Shampoos, and Skin allergy
prevention
 The wood has been used for firewood
RECENT SIGNIFICANCE/CHARACTERISTICS:
 It is antimicrobial resistant and has other
antifungal properties, they are also used in
pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries
 The young twigs are used directly as crude
toothbrushes
 The Neem plant contains bisexual and are borne
in axillary clusters
 In the Vedic literature has mention that it can cure
all the diseases
SUGAR BEET
WHY IN NEWS: Listed as one of the eligible plants
for biofuel production in National Biofuel
Guidelines
NATIVE: Mediterranean and Southern Europe
NATURE:
 High concentration of sucrose which is grown
commercially for sugar production
 Sugar is formed by photosynthesis in the leaves
and is then stored in the root
 Sugar is the primary value of sugar beet as a cash
crop
 It belongs to the amaranth family
(Amaranthaceae)
HABITAT: Temperate Zones
USE:
 Sugar Beets are used as an alternative to
extracting the sugar
 The waste left after extraction can be used as
fodder for cattle
 It treats psychiatric problems and strengthens the
human immune system in the Iranian tradition
RECENT SIGNIFICANCE/CHARACTERISTICS:
 In 2020, Russia, the United States, Germany,
France and Turkey were the world's five largest
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sugar beet producers
 Fertilizers are applied to sugar beets
 Sugar beet required less than a third of the water
consumed by sugarcane
 Beet has emerged as a global alternative to water-
guzzling sugarcane when it comes to sugar
extraction
SORGHUM
WHY IN NEWS: Listed as one of the eligible plants
for biofuel production in National Biofuel
Guidelines
NATIVE: Northeastern Africa
NATURE:
 It belongs to the grass family, (Poaceae)
 It is also called great millet, Indian millet, milo,
durra, or shallu, cereal grain plant
 It is edible starchy seeds and a drought-resistant
crop
HABITAT: Drought-prone, Semi-Arid Tropical
region
USE:
 It is used as cattle feed, poultry feed, and potable
alcohol
 It also helps to produce Beverages and biofuels
RECENT SIGNIFICANCE/CHARACTERISTICS:
 It is ranked as the fifth Major staple cereal crop
after wheat, rice, maize, and barley
 It is a nutritious food rich in protein, dietary fiber,
B vitamins, and minerals
 Sorghum also contained high concentrations of
lutein and zeaxanthin, carotenoids which are
important for eye health and brain development
Plant Species: Value Addition
 In India sorghum is known as jowar, cholam, or
Jonna.
 It has different varieties of Sorghum in color like,
While, Yellow, red, Purple, and brown
KARANJA
WHY IN NEWS: Listed as one of the eligible
plants for biofuel production in National Biofuel
Guidelines
NATIVE: Asia and Africa
NATURE:
 It is a fast-growing evergreen tree
 It is also called as Indian Beech tree and Poonga
Oil plant
 It grows wild on sandy and rocky soils
HABITAT: Deciduous Tree
USE:
 The seeds contain oils and fatty acids suitable for
biodiesel production
 It used in Biofuel for cooking, lamps, and
lubricants
 It is useful for hemorrhoids, dyspepsia, and
leprosy
 It cures hair fall, Skin disorders, and teeth cleaner
RECENT SIGNIFICANCE/CHARACTERISTICS:
 It is one of the few Nitrogen fixing trees (NFTS) to
produce seeds containing 30-42% oil
 It contains oil, protein, starch, crude fiber,
moisture and ash content
 Pongamia pinnata is an outbreeding diploid
legume tree
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CALLOPHYLUM INNOPHYLUM
WHY IN NEWS: The Extraction of Bioactive Agents
from Calophyllum inophyllum
NATIVE: Tropical Asia and Wallacea
NATURE:
 Perennial in nature
 Slow-growing tree
 It grows in Coastal areas and lowland forest
HABITAT: Terrestrial and Tropical climate
USE:
 Anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer
properties in traditional medicine systems
 It is used in shipbuilding and timber industries
RECENT SIGNIFICANCE/CHARACTERISTICS:
 It is a source of the culturally important tamanu
oil
 It has a sweet fragrance which attracts many
insects to pollinate it
SIMAROUBA GLAUCA
Plant Species: Value Addition
WHY IN NEWS:Can cancer treatment cost and
DALYs reduce due to Simarouba glauca
phytomedicine?
NATIVE: Florida, South America, and the
Caribbean
NATURE:
 Common names like paradise-tree, dysentery-
bark, and bitterwood
 It belongs to the Simaroubaceae family
HABITAT: Warm, Humid, Tropics and Temperate
regions
USE:
 The wood is used for insect resistant and used for
furniture like toy, Matches, and pulp making
 It Manufactures of Biofuels, soaps, lubricants,
pharmaceuticals and cosmetics
RECENT SIGNIFICANCE/CHARACTERISTICS:
 It is an antimalarial, antimicrobial, antitumor,
antiulcer, hypoglycaemic, insecticidal, stomachic,
and ver-mifuge
 It produces edible oils from its seeds
JACKFRUIT
WHY IN NEWS: Indian Institute of Horticultural
Research identifies a unique farmer’s jackfruit
variety for promotion
NATIVE: Western Ghats to India, Asia, and some
regions in South America
NATURE:
 It is the largest edible fruit in the world
 Evergreen Tree and largest fruit tree
 It belongs to the fig, mulberry, and breadfruit
family (Moraceae)
HABITAT: Tropical lowlands
USE:
 It helps to control Blood sugar
 It also used in Ayurvedic Medicines
 The woods are strong and durable and are used
for furniture, boats, and other products
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AIM for CSE 2024 Plant Species: Value Addition

 The seeds have been roasted and used for  It is a prominent forest tree in tribal areas of
indigestion Bastar (Chhattisgarh) and plays an important role
in the rural economy
RECENT SIGNIFICANCE/CHARACTERISTICS:
 The mahua flowers are a rich source of sugars and
 India is the largest producer of jackfruit in the are said to contain vitamins, minerals and calcium
world
 It is a state fruit of Kerala TEAK
 Jackfruit is rich in nutrients including
carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and
phytochemicals
 It is a valuable Timber tree
 The trees also help to protect biodiversity and
prevent erosion
 Recently, the jackfruit has been exported from
Tripura to London

MUHUA

WHY IN NEWS: India has become the second

largest importer of "conflict wood" from Myanmar,
after China. Teak Imported from Myanmar is
described as “Conflict Wood”

NATIVE: India, Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand

NATURE:

 It is hardwood forest

 It belongs to the family Lamiaceae Family

 It has different variety colors like, red, yellow,

blue, brown etc

WHY IN NEWS: Mahua Flower Laddus Boosting HABITAT: Deciduous tree

Tribal Economy In Odisha
USE:
NATIVE: India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Myanmar
 The wood is used for boat building, exterior
NATURE: construction, veneer, furniture, Musical
 Semi-evergreen plant instruments, carving, turnings, and various small
 Fast-growing tree projects
 It belongs to the family Sapotaceae
 Teak wood is also used to make plywood and
HABITAT: Dry deciduous forest
veneers
USE:  It has a high oil content, giving it the highest
 It is a food to fodder, dawaa (medicine) to daaru decay-resistance
(alcohol) in daily lives tribals of central India
 Leprosy and oil are used for medicinal conditions RECENT SIGNIFICANCE/CHARACTERISTICS:
 It can also be used as fuel oil  Myanmar has the world's largest natural teak
RECENT SIGNIFICANCE/CHARACTERISTICS: (Sagwan Tree) forest
 It is edible and is a food item for tribals  Teak is one of the world's most well-protected
 In the wedding rituals and mahua liquor is served commercial species
at the ceremony
 It has a high natural oil and rubber

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AIM for CSE 2024 Plant Species: Value Addition

 It is a naturally water resistance and strong WHY IN NEWS:Karnataka to form panel to decide
durable lifting ban on eucalyptus plantation: MB Patil
NATIVE: Australia
TAMARIND
NATURE:
 It is a flowering plant in the family Myrtaceae
 It has varied in size and habit from shrubs to tall
trees
 Eucalyptus trees, including mallets and marlocks,
are single-stemmed
HABITAT: Tropics to Temperate region

USE:
 It cures Many medicines for cough and cold
WHY IN NEWS: Listed as one of the eligible plants  It is found in many lozenges, cough syrups, rubs,
for biofuel production in National Biofuel and vapor baths throughout the United States and
Guidelines Europe
NATIVE: Tropical Africa  The fresh leaves are using in gargles to soothe
sore throats and treat bronchitis and sinusitis
NATURE:
RECENT SIGNIFICANCE/CHARACTERISTICS:
 It belongs to the family Fabaceae
 This species occurs on a variety of soil types from
 It is large evergreen tree
red or black soils to sandy alluvial soils
 It is majorly produced in India and Thailand
 It is also called as green gold
 It has high resistance to drought and aerosol salt
 It can also grow well in salt affected areas
HABITAT: Tropics and sub-tropic region
PINUS
USE:
 The tree's wood can be used for woodworking and
tamarind seed oil can be extracted from the seeds
 It is used to treat diarrhea, constipation, fever, and
malaria
 It also helps in Blood pressure and heart rate
 The seeds are used in industrial applications

RECENT SIGNIFICANCE/CHARACTERISTICS:
 It has an adapted to seasonally dry region of long
duration
 It has carbohydrates, fats, proteins, fibre, vitamins,
Minerals, Potassium, organic acids
 It helps prevent soil erosion, and improves soil
fertility by fixing atmospheric nitrogen

EUCALYPTUS

WHY IN NEWS:Gymnosperms that are critical for

coniferous forest health may be steadily declining
in response to climate change.
NATIVE: Northern Hemisphere

NATURE:
 Pine family is the largest conifer family
 It belongs to the family Pinaceae
 It is an evergreen coniferous tree

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AIM for CSE 2024
HABITAT: Latitudes North of the tropics
USE:
 It is one of the more extensively used types of
lumber
 The wood has aromatic, deodorant, haemostatic,
stimulant, anthelmintic, digestive, liver tonic,
diaphoretic, and diuretic
 Pinus are also used for the manufacture of
turpentine,rosin, pulp and paper
RECENT SIGNIFICANCE/CHARACTERISTICS:
 The bark of Pinus Roxburghi is thick and scaly,
with a reddish-brown color
 The adult pine leaves are called needles
 The production of beams, doors, flooring, poles,
railway wagon, etc
BAMBOO
WHY IN NEWS: Policy in works to scale up bamboo
cultivation
NATIVE: Northern America
NATURE:
 It belongs to the grass family Poaceae
 It is fast-growing, perennial tree
HABITAT: Warm and moist tropical to warm
temperate climates
USE:
 It has many uses, mainly in construction (flooring,
roofing designing, and scaffolding), furniture,
food, biofuel, fabrics, cloth, paper, pulp, charcoal,
ornamental garden planting
 The production of paper pulp, fencing, basketry,
water pipes, utensils, bicycles, bridges, and low-
Plant Species: Value Addition
rise housing
RECENT SIGNIFICANCE/CHARACTERISTICS:
 It can be planted to reclaim severely degraded
sites and wastelands
 It is the fastest growing canopy, releasing 35 per
cent more oxygen than trees
 There are studies reporting that bamboo stands
sequester 12 tonnes of carbon dioxide from per
hectare
RED SANDAL
WHY IN NEWS: India exempted from review
obligations related to trade in Red Sanders
NATIVE: Andhra Pradesh, Southern India
NATURE:
 Indian endemic tree species
 Rich Red color of the wood
 It also called as Gold Heart
 Fast growing
 It grows in Hot and dry Region
HABITAT: Coastal Dry Forest and Eastern Ghats of
India
USE:
 It has high in demand across Asia, particularly in
China and Japan, for use in cosmetics and
medicinal products as well as for making
furniture, woodcraft and musical instruments
 The Red sandalwood is used as a flavoring in
alcoholic beverages
 It has antiseptic and antibacterial effects
RECENT SIGNIFICANCE/CHARACTERISTICS:
 It is in demand in both domestic and international
markets
 It is under ‘endangered list’ in the International
Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List
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AIM for CSE 2024
 Illicit felling for smuggling, forest fires, cattle
grazing and other anthropogenic threats
PROSOPIS JULIFLORA
WHY IN NEWS: Tamil Nadu's long fight against
Prosopis juliflora
NATIVE: South America, Mexico, and the Caribbean
NATURE:
 Shrub or small tree
 It belongs to the family Fabaceae
 It is a drought-resistant, thorny, evergreen
HABITAT: Arid and semi-arid region in the Tropics
USE:
 Its extract is widely used in cosmetics
 It tends to reduce the biodiversity in the area in
which it grows
 Its extract is used in the synthesis of pesticides
RECENT SIGNIFICANCE/CHARACTERISTICS:
 It has a very wide ecological adaptability which
can grow on soils from sand dune to clay soil, and
from saline to alkaline soil type
 It is considered as an Invasive plant
 This tree absorbs more than four litres of water to
obtain one kilogram of biomass
 It cannot even shelter birds as it produces less
oxygen and more carbon dioxide
 It can also turn the groundwater poisonous
DRAGON FRUIT
Plant Species: Value Addition
WHY IN NEWS: Centre to promote dragon fruit
cultivation in 50,000 hectares
NATIVE: Southern Mexico, Central America, and
Southern America
NATURE:
 It is an herbaceous perennial plant climbing cactus
 It is also called as kamalam
 It grows in all kinds of soil and does not require
much water
 It has various colours, Yellow, Purple, Pink, Red,
HABITAT: Dry tropical Climate
USE:
 It is rich in vitamins C and E, Magnesium, low in
sodium
 The fruit is considered good for diabetic patients,
low in calories and high in nutrients like iron,
calcium, potassium and zinc
RECENT SIGNIFICANCE/CHARACTERISTICS:
 The world’s largest producer and exporter of
dragon fruit is Vietnam
 In India, the cultivation of Kamalam Fruit is done
in Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra,
Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, West Bengal,
Andhra Pradesh, Andaman & Nicobar Islands,
Mizoram and Nagaland
 The plant sustains yield for more than 20 years, is
high in nutraceutical properties (medicinal
effects) and good for value-added processing
industries
 Mizoram tops among the States that cultivate this
fruit
 The fruit plant doesn’t need much water and can
be cultivated on dry land
TURMERIC
WHY IN NEWS: Govt forms National Turmeric
Board, aims to boost sector's global dominance
NATIVE: South East Asia
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AIM for CSE 2024
NATURE:
 It is a perennial herbaceous plant of the ginger
family (Zingiberaceae)
 It is a yellow-coloured compound
 It is a flowering plant
HABITAT: Diverse Tropical region
USE:
 The plant’s underground stems or rhizomes have
been used as a spice, dye, medicine, and religious
maker since antiquity
 Turmeric which has anti-cancer properties, anti-
inflammatory, anti-aging, anti-diabetic, and has
several medicinal properties
 Turmeric was used in Ayurveda and other
traditional Indian medical systems, as well as
Eastern Asian medical systems such as traditional
Chinese medicine. In India, it was traditionally
used for disorders of the skin, upper respiratory
tract, joints, and digestive system
RECENT SIGNIFICANCE/CHARACTERISTICS:
 The spice’s color comes mainly from curcumin, a
bright yellow phenolic
 India is the largest producer and exporter of
turmeric in the world
 Turmeric occupies about 6% of the total area
under spices and condiments in India compound
that has been in the news for its ostensible
potential to fight cancer
 Telangana was the leading producer of turmeric in
India. Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu were second
and third in the ranking that year
GIGLOY
Plant Species: Value Addition
WHY IN NEWS: Boosting immunity to lowering
cholesterol, many benefits of Guduchi or Giloy
NATIVE: India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, South East
Asia, etc
NATURE:
 It belongs to the herbaceous Botanical family
(Menispermaceae)
 It is a climbing shrub that grows on other trees
 It has a heart-shaped leaves and its reddish fruit
HABITAT: Deciduous and Dry Forest
USE:
 People used it to treat a wide range of issues,
including fever, infections, diarrhoea and diabetes
 It has been used for managing COVID-19
 It helps to improve immunity during dengue and
also for a speedy recovery
RECENT SIGNIFICANCE/CHARACTERISTICS:
 It is an essential herb in Ayurvedic medicines
 It contains diverse phytochemicals
 The Ministry of AYUSH has a well-established
system of Pharmacovigilance (for reporting of
suspected adverse drug reactions from AYUSH
medication), with its network spreading across all
over India
LOTUS SEEDS (MAKHANA)
WHY IN NEWS: Lessons from a lotus seed: Bringing
makhana to South India
NATIVE: South and East Asia
NATURE:
 It is also called as waterlily or Gorgan plant
 It belongs to water lily family (Nymphaeaceae)
HABITAT: Temperate region
USE:
 It is used in medicine for treating heart ailments,
spleen, and kidney
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AIM for CSE 2024
 The seeds, leaves, roots, and leaf stalk of the Lotus
are edible and are used as a vegetable in Indian
cuisine
 It has high protein content
 It has great snack food for diabetics and heart
patients as they contain good fat and have a low
quantity of saturated fats
RECENT SIGNIFICANCE/CHARACTERISTICS:
 Makhana is also grown in Korea, Japan and Russia.
It comes from the lotus seeds
Plant Species: Value Addition
 It mainly cultivated in the states of Bihar, West
Bengal and Assam. Bihar is the leading producer
of makhana accounting for more than 85% of the
total production of India.
 The Mithila Makhana is from Bihar which got GI
tag. It is a special variety of aquatic fox nut
cultivated.
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