UPSC Prelims 2026 · Question 26 of 96

UPSC Prelims 2026 question on Foxtail Orchid

Consider the following statements about Rhynchostylis retusa (Foxtail orchid):

1. It is an epiphytic orchid.

2. The species is endemic to North-east India.

3. It is the State flower of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 1 and 3
  3. 2 and 3
  4. 3 only
Show answer

Answer: B. 1 and 3

Verdict

Statements 1 and 3 are correct, so the answer is Option (b).

Statement by statement

Statement 1 is correct: Rhynchostylis retusa is commonly known as the 'fox-tail orchid', since the pendant inflorescence looks like a fox's tail. It is an epiphytic orchid comprising only four species, which are distributed in the Indian subcontinent, China, Indochina, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines.

Statement 2 is not correct: The species is not endemic to North-east India. It can be found in Bhutan, Cambodia, China (Guizhou, Yunnan), India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam. In India, the plant is most common in the Northeast, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.

Statement 3 is correct: Rhynchostylis retusa is recognised as the state flower of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam in India.

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