UPSC CSE Prelims
Question 13
Consider the following pairs :
| Plant | Description |
|---|---|
| I. Cassava | : Woody shrub |
| II. Ginger | : Herb with pseudostem |
| III. Malabar spinach | : Herbaceous climber |
| IV. Mint | : Annual shrub |
| V. Papaya | : Woody shrub |
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
View correct answer and explanation
Correct answer: B
Correct Option: B (Only three)
Explanation: Three descriptions are accurate: cassava is a woody shrub, ginger a herbaceous plant with a pseudostem, and Malabar spinach a herbaceous climber. Mint and papaya are misclassified.
Statement / Pair / Item-wise Analysis:
I: Correct-cassava is a woody perennial shrub.
II: Correct-ginger's pseudostem consists of leaf sheaths.
III: Correct-Malabar spinach is a climbing herb.
IV: Incorrect-mint is a perennial herb, not an annual shrub.
V: Incorrect-papaya is a giant herbaceous plant, not a true woody shrub.
Option-wise Analysis:
A. Incorrect-'Only two' understates the verified count of 3.
B. Correct-this matches the facts and the item-wise assessment above.
C. Incorrect-'Only four' overstates the verified count of 3.
D. Incorrect-'All the five' overstates the verified count of 3.