Q. 'Neelakurinji plant', recently seen in news, is mostly found in which region of India?
Answer:
Western Ghats
Notes: Neelakurinji, a purplish flowering shrub that blooms once every 12 years, is now on the IUCN Red List of threatened species. It is found in the Western Ghats of Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. The flowers are most concentrated in the high ranges around Munnar, Kerala, especially in Eravikulam National Park, which is 12 kilometers from Munnar. Nilgiri Hills are named after its blue flowers, and the Paliyan tribes use its blooming cycle to calculate age. Neelakurinji is threatened by habitat loss due to tea plantations, softwood plantations, and urbanization. The global assessment confirms its status as Vulnerable.