RAS question
The Sundari tree is found in:
Correct answer: (C) Mangrove forests.
The Sundari tree, Heritiera fomes, is found in mangrove forests, especially in the Sundarbans.
Explanation
The Sundari tree, botanically Heritiera fomes, belongs to the mangrove vegetation of the Sundarbans. Banglapedia describes the Sundarbans as a tidal halophytic mangrove forest and notes that its vegetation is largely mangrove in type, with Sundari and Gewa among the prominent species. Sundari is associated with saline, tidal forest conditions, not with upland or inland forest types. The generally accepted explanation for the name Sundarban is its derivation from the Sundari tree, which reinforces the standard geography association between Sundari, the Sundarbans, and mangrove forests. Sundari's durable timber use also fits Banglapedia's note that Sundari is used as raw material for hardboard.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Alpine forests are upland cold-region forests associated with species such as birch and rhododendron, whereas Sundari grows in the tidal mangrove vegetation of the Sundarbans.
- (B) Tropical deciduous forests are typically associated with inland species such as teak and sal, while Banglapedia places Sundari within mangrove vegetation.
- (D) Tropical evergreen forests are not Sundari's specific habitat because Sundari is a salt-tolerant mangrove species of the Sundarbans.
Concept
Indian geography links natural vegetation with characteristic species and forest types. Forest-type identification connects climate, salinity, terrain and regional ecology in a compact RAS geography pattern.