The largest herbarium in India, housing an extensive collection of preserved plant specimens, is located at which of the following places?

Introduction / Context:
Herbaria are scientific collections of preserved plant specimens used for research, taxonomy and conservation. India, with its rich biodiversity, maintains several large herbaria, but one is recognised as the largest in the country. Questions about the location of this herbarium connect biological science with geography and are common in environment and general science sections of competitive exams. This question asks you to identify the city where India's largest herbarium is located.

Given Data / Assumptions:

- The subject is the largest herbarium in India. - It is described as housing an extensive collection of preserved plant specimens. - Options given are Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai and Coimbatore. - Candidates are expected to know which city hosts the main national herbarium.

Concept / Approach:
The Central National Herbarium, maintained by the Botanical Survey of India, is regarded as the largest herbarium in India. It is located in the Indian Botanic Garden at Howrah, near Kolkata, and in exam-oriented geography questions this is typically summarised as being in Kolkata. The approach is to associate the largest herbarium and national plant taxonomy centre with Kolkata rather than with other cities that may host important but smaller botanical collections.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Verification can be done by checking lists of major herbaria and their sizes. The Central National Herbarium, under the Botanical Survey of India, is consistently described as the largest in the country with millions of specimens. Its address in Howrah district, adjacent to Kolkata, leads most educational sources to refer to its location as Kolkata for simplicity. No other city in the options is linked to a herbarium of comparable size or national status, confirming Kolkata as the correct choice.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Lucknow hosts important botanical institutions but not the largest national herbarium. Mumbai, as a coastal metropolis, has its own gardens and research bodies, yet the central herbarium is not based there. Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu is known for agriculture and certain research institutes but is not cited as the location of India's largest herbarium. None of the above would be appropriate because the Central National Herbarium associated with Kolkata clearly fits the description in the question.

Common Pitfalls:
Some examinees may confuse "largest herbarium" with "famous botanical garden" and think of other cities that have well known gardens. Others might underestimate the importance of the Kolkata Howrah botanic complex in India's botanical history. To avoid such confusion, memorise a simple association: Indian Botanic Garden and Central National Herbarium near Kolkata together form the largest herbarium in India, so Kolkata is the exam answer.

Final Answer:
The largest herbarium in India is located at Kolkata, in the Central National Herbarium associated with the Indian Botanic Garden at Howrah.