Answer: Invasive plant
Notes: The Tamil Nadu Forest Department and an NGO are running a pilot project to remove Mucuna bracteata, an invasive plant, from rubber plantations and forest areas in Kanniyakumari. Originally introduced to protect rubber trees, it has spread across parts of the Western Ghats, including regions near the Kalakkad-Mundanthurai tiger reserve. Mucuna bracteata now covers large areas, overtaking native trees and hindering their growth. The vine is a threat to biodiversity and is found mainly in the rainforest of Kanniyakumari and abandoned rubber plantations.
