2008 General Studies, all questions
UPSC Prelims 2008 · General Studies
Question 30: Science and Technology
Which one of the following is an insectivorous plant?
aPassion flower plant
bPitcher plant
cNight queen
dFlame of the forest
AnswerThe answer is (b).
The pitcher plant (Nepenthes) is insectivorous. Its leaf is modified into a lidded pitcher filled with digestive fluid; insects slip in, drown and are digested, supplying the nitrogen that poor soil lacks. In India it grows in the hills of Meghalaya. Other insectivorous plants to remember are sundew, Venus flytrap and bladderwort.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Passion flower is a climber that does not trap insects.
- (b) The pitcher plant traps and digests insects.
- (c) Night queen is a fragrant shrub, not insectivorous.
- (d) Flame of the forest is a flowering tree, not insectivorous.
Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.
Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2008, General Studies. UPSC's own paper isn't online; the words are from a published compilation. The paper on upsc.gov.in.