Bryophytes MCQ Quiz - Objective Question with Answer for Bryophytes - Download Free PDF

The correct answer is Asexual reproduction

Explanation:

• Bryophytes are a group of non-vascular plants that include mosses, liverworts, and hornworts. They are characterized by their simple structure and life cycle, which involves alternation of generations.
• In bryophytes, gemmae are small, multicellular structures that serve as a means of vegetative (asexual) reproduction.
• Asexual reproduction in Marchantia (Liverwort) takes place by fragmentation of thalli, or by the formation of specialized structures called gemmae (sing. Gemma).
• In Marchantia, the plant body consists of a dorsiventrally flattened, prostrate and dichotomously branched thallus.
• The thalli are conspicuous, apex of each thallus is notched.
• Along the mid-rib are present characteristic, prominent goblet or cup-shaped structures, the gemma cups, with smooth, dentate or frilled margins.
• These cups enclose asexual reproductive bodies called gemma.
• Gemmae are green, multicellular, asexual buds, which develop in small receptacles called gemma cups located on thalli.
• The gemmae become detached from the parent body and germinate to form new individuals.

Fig: A liverwort – Marchantia (a) Female thallus (b) Male thallus

The correct answer is 3) B, E, A, D, C

Concept:

• Bryophytes are non-vascular plants that include mosses, liverworts, and hornworts. They exhibit a distinct alternation of generations between the haploid gametophyte and diploid sporophyte stages.
• The dominant stage in the life cycle of bryophytes is the gametophyte, which is haploid and independent. The sporophyte is dependent on the gametophyte for nutrition.
• The life cycle involves the production of gametes, fertilization, sporophyte development, spore formation via reduction division (meiosis), and subsequent germination of haploid spores to form new gametophytes.

Explanation:

• Step 1 (B - Attachment of gametophyte to substratum): The life cycle begins with the haploid gametophyte, which attaches itself to the substratum, such as soil or rocks, via rhizoids. The gametophyte is photosynthetic and forms the primary plant body.
• Step 2 (E - Release of antherozoids into water): Male gametophytes produce biflagellate antherozoids (sperm cells) in the antheridia, which are released into water. Bryophytes depend on water for fertilization.
• Step 3 (A - Fusion of antherozoid with egg): Antherozoids swim through water to reach the archegonia (female reproductive structures), where fertilization occurs. The fusion of antherozoid and egg forms a diploid zygote.
• Step 4 (D - Formation of sporophyte): The zygote develops into a diploid sporophyte, which remains attached to and nutritionally dependent on the gametophyte. The sporophyte consists of a foot, seta, and capsule.
• Step 5 (C - Reduction division to produce haploid spores): Inside the capsule of the sporophyte, meiosis (reduction division) occurs, leading to the production of haploid spores. These spores are released and germinate to form new gametophytes, completing the life cycle.

The correct answer is Bryophytes have significant economic importance in human food production.

Explanation:

• Bryophytes in general are of little economic importance but some mosses provide food for herbaceous mammals, birds and other animals.
• Species of Sphagnum, a moss, provide peat that have long been used as fuel, and as packing material for trans-shipment of living material because of their capacity to hold water.
• Mosses along with lichens are the first organisms to colonise rocks and hence, are of great ecological importance.They decompose rocks making the substrate suitable for the growth of higher plants.
• Since mosses form dense mats on the soil, they reduce the impact of falling rain and prevent soil erosion.

Concept:

• Archegoniate: The group of plants that have archegonium as their female sex organ is called archegoniate. 
• For example, bryophytes, pteridophytes & gymnosperms.
• Bryophytes were the first ones to have archegonium as their female reproductive organ and gymnosperms are the last to have.

Important Points

• Funaria & Riccia both belong to the group Bryophyta.
• Funaria is a moss while Riccia is a liverwort.
• They have archegonia as their female reproductive organ.
• Archegonium -
  • Archegonium is flask-shaped and produces a single egg.
  • At maturity, the archegonium consists of two parts basally swollen part Venter and slender long neck.
• Antheridium -
  • The male reproductive organ is called the Antheridium.
  • They produce biflagellate antherozoids.
  • The antherozoids are released into the water where they come in contact with archegonium.
  • An antherozoid fuses with the egg to produce the zygote.

Concept:

• Mosses belong to the division Bryophyta.
• They have both gametophytic and sporophytic generations, but the gametophyte is the dominant phase.
• The mature sporophyte is differentiated into foot, seta and capsule.
• The capsule contains:
  • Apophysis - It is the basal sterile part.
  • Theca - It is the spore-bearing part located between the apophysis and operculum.
  • Operculum - It is the upper dome-shaped part that has the peristome teeth below it.

Important Points

•  The operculum consists of 4-5 layers of cells, out of which the outermost is the thick-walled epidermis.
• There is a diaphragm or rim that consists of 2-3 layers of radially elongated cells.
• The annulus is located just above the rim.
• It is like a constricted area that separates the theca from the operculum.
• The annulus is composed of 5-6 layers of superimposed cells.
• The upper cells are thick, while the lowermost layers are of thin-walled cells.

Correct answer: 1)

Solution:

Concept:

• One of the methods of asexual reproduction in Bryophytes is through gemmae.
• Gemmae can be unicellular or multicellular asexual buds that grow on small receptacles known as gemmae cups.

Explanation:

• Option 1:
• Liverworts are types of Bryophytes.
• Liverworts such as Marchantia have gemmae.
• These gemmae are haploid structures that detach from the parent body and germinate to form new individuals.

• Option 2:
• Mosses are types of Bryophytes that reproduce asexually as well as sexually.
• Mosses reproduce asexually via fragmentation.
• Option 3:
• Pteridophytes reproduce sexually only.
• They reproduce by producing spores.
• Option 4:
• Gymnosperms also reproduce by the formation of spores.
• They have different types of spores, so, they as known as heterosporous.

So, the correct answer is option 1.

Concept-

• Kingdom plants are divided into five groups- Thallophytes, Bryophytes, Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms, and Angiosperms.
• Thallophyta
  • The plant body is not differentiated from roots, stems, and leaves.
  • They are commonly called algae.
• Bryophyta
  • These are small terrestrial plants.
  • They show differentiation in the body design, with stem, leaf-like structures, and root-like structures.
• Pteridophyta
  • The plant body is differentiated into roots, stems, and leaves, apart from having a specialized tissue for conduction.
• Gymnosperms
  • Gymnosperms are plants with naked seeds.
• Angiosperms
  • Angiosperms are seed-bearing plants. Seeds develop inside tissues that get modified to form the fruit of the plant.

Explanation:

• Peat is a fossil fuel that is obtained from the swamp. The formation of peat takes place by the fossilization of Sphagnum
• Thus, Sphagnum is also called ''Peat moss''
• Sphagnum is a member of the class Bryopsida from the group bryophytes

Important Points 

• Sphagnum is known by several other names like:

1. Bog moss - It grows in acidic swamps
2. Carpet or turf moss - it spreads like a carpet on swamps, due to which the swamps cannot be seen easily.
3. Absorbent cotton - It can absorb very high amounts of water

Additional Information

Concept:

• Plants are divided into five groups- Thallophytes, Bryophytes, Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms, and Angiosperms.
• Bryophytes are small non-vascular plants. The bryophytes are divided into liverworts and mosses.

Explanation:

• Mosses have a structure called Protonema present in their life cycle and Funaria is a moss thus, the correct option is Funaria
• Funaria belongs to the group Bryophyta.
• Funaria is a type of moss commonly called Rope moss or Cord moss.

The life cycle of a Moss:

• The predominant stage of the life cycle of a moss is the gametophyte which consists of two stages.
• The first stage is the protonema stage, which develops directly from a spore.
• It is a creeping, green, branched, and frequently filamentous stage.
• The second stage is the leafy stage, which develops from the secondary protonema as a lateral bud.
• They consist of upright, slender axes bearing spirally arranged leaves.
• They are attached to the soil through multicellular and branched rhizoids.
• This stage bears the sex organs.
• In sexual reproduction, the sex organs antheridia and archegonia are produced at the apex of the leafy shoots.
• After fertilization, the zygote develops into a sporophyte, consisting of a foot, seta and capsule.
• The capsule contains spores. Spores are formed after meiosis. The mosses have an elaborate mechanism of spore dispersal.

Additional Information 

All the other three options belong to different plant groups and do not have Protonema in their life cycle.

• Spirogyra is a free-floating green alga. It belongs to the Chlorophyta kingdom.
• Spirogyras are filamentous algae that consist of thin unbranched chains of cylindrical cells.
• Spirogyra species can reproduce both sexually and asexually.
• Rhizopus also called bread mold belongs to the class Zygomycetes Fungi. They prefer to grow on bread.
• Dryopteris commonly called the wood ferns, male ferns, or buckler ferns is a fern genus in the family Dryopteridaceae in pteridophytes.​

Concept-

• Kingdom plants are divided into five groups- Thallophytes, Bryophytes, Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms, and Angiosperms.

Thallophyta

• The plant body is not differentiated from roots, stems, and leaves.
• They are commonly called algae.

Bryophyta

• These are small terrestrial plants.
• They show differentiation in the body design, with stem, leaf-like structures, and root-like structures.

Pteridophyta

• The plant body is differentiated into roots, stems, and leaves, apart from having a specialized tissue for conduction.

Gymnosperms

• Gymnosperms are plants with naked seeds.

Angiosperms

• Angiosperms are seed-bearing plants.
• Seeds develop inside tissues that get modified to form the fruit of the plant. 

Explanation-

• Bryophytes are also called amphibians of the plant kingdom because these plants can live in soil but are dependent on water for sexual reproduction.
• Evolutionarily, Pteridophyta is the first terrestrial plant to possess vascular tissues – xylem and phloem. So bryophytes are non vascular plants.
• They produce a multicellular body called a sporophyte.
• The sporophyte is not free-living but attached to the photosynthetic gametophyte and derives nourishment from it.
• Some cells of the sporophyte undergo reduction division (meiosis) to produce haploid spores. 
• In Bryophyta, the sporophyte is depend on gametophyte.

Therefore 2 statement is incorrect i.e., the independent plant body of bryophytes is the sporophytic generation.

Explanation:

Lycopodium:

• Belongs to the class Lycopsida of group Pteridophyta.
• Commonly called ''club moss''.
• The plant body is differentiated into roots, stems, and leaves but the stem is not divided into nodes and internodes.
• It is used for making homeopathic medicine.
• The spores of lycopodium are used for cleaning the lens of a microscope.

Mistake Points

• Little club moss - Selaginella
• Club Moss - Lycopodium

Additional Information

• Equisetum (Pipe) also called ''horse tail'' is included in the class sphenopsida.
• The plant body is differentiated into roots, stems, and leaves. Roots are adventitious.
• Their stem is jointed i.e. their stem is divided into nodes and internodes.
• Selaginella or spike moss are called resurrection plants because most of the species of selaginella are drought escapers i.e. do not face drought conditions, complete their life cycle in the short wet season 
• Marsilea is a heterosporous pteridophyte. The formation of spores takes place in sporangia. Sporangia are formed at the abaxial surface of leaves.
• The leaves on which sporangia are formed are called sporophylls.

The correct answer is Asexual reproduction

Explanation:

• Bryophytes are a group of non-vascular plants that include mosses, liverworts, and hornworts. They are characterized by their simple structure and life cycle, which involves alternation of generations.
• In bryophytes, gemmae are small, multicellular structures that serve as a means of vegetative (asexual) reproduction.
• Asexual reproduction in Marchantia (Liverwort) takes place by fragmentation of thalli, or by the formation of specialized structures called gemmae (sing. Gemma).
• In Marchantia, the plant body consists of a dorsiventrally flattened, prostrate and dichotomously branched thallus.
• The thalli are conspicuous, apex of each thallus is notched.
• Along the mid-rib are present characteristic, prominent goblet or cup-shaped structures, the gemma cups, with smooth, dentate or frilled margins.
• These cups enclose asexual reproductive bodies called gemma.
• Gemmae are green, multicellular, asexual buds, which develop in small receptacles called gemma cups located on thalli.
• The gemmae become detached from the parent body and germinate to form new individuals.

Fig: A liverwort – Marchantia (a) Female thallus (b) Male thallus

The correct answer is 3) B, E, A, D, C

Concept:

• Bryophytes are non-vascular plants that include mosses, liverworts, and hornworts. They exhibit a distinct alternation of generations between the haploid gametophyte and diploid sporophyte stages.
• The dominant stage in the life cycle of bryophytes is the gametophyte, which is haploid and independent. The sporophyte is dependent on the gametophyte for nutrition.
• The life cycle involves the production of gametes, fertilization, sporophyte development, spore formation via reduction division (meiosis), and subsequent germination of haploid spores to form new gametophytes.

Explanation:

• Step 1 (B - Attachment of gametophyte to substratum): The life cycle begins with the haploid gametophyte, which attaches itself to the substratum, such as soil or rocks, via rhizoids. The gametophyte is photosynthetic and forms the primary plant body.
• Step 2 (E - Release of antherozoids into water): Male gametophytes produce biflagellate antherozoids (sperm cells) in the antheridia, which are released into water. Bryophytes depend on water for fertilization.
• Step 3 (A - Fusion of antherozoid with egg): Antherozoids swim through water to reach the archegonia (female reproductive structures), where fertilization occurs. The fusion of antherozoid and egg forms a diploid zygote.
• Step 4 (D - Formation of sporophyte): The zygote develops into a diploid sporophyte, which remains attached to and nutritionally dependent on the gametophyte. The sporophyte consists of a foot, seta, and capsule.
• Step 5 (C - Reduction division to produce haploid spores): Inside the capsule of the sporophyte, meiosis (reduction division) occurs, leading to the production of haploid spores. These spores are released and germinate to form new gametophytes, completing the life cycle.

Correct answer: 1)

Solution:

Concept:

• One of the methods of asexual reproduction in Bryophytes is through gemmae.
• Gemmae can be unicellular or multicellular asexual buds that grow on small receptacles known as gemmae cups.

Explanation:

• Option 1:
• Liverworts are types of Bryophytes.
• Liverworts such as Marchantia have gemmae.
• These gemmae are haploid structures that detach from the parent body and germinate to form new individuals.

• Option 2:
• Mosses are types of Bryophytes that reproduce asexually as well as sexually.
• Mosses reproduce asexually via fragmentation.
• Option 3:
• Pteridophytes reproduce sexually only.
• They reproduce by producing spores.
• Option 4:
• Gymnosperms also reproduce by the formation of spores.
• They have different types of spores, so, they as known as heterosporous.

So, the correct answer is option 1.

Concept-

• Kingdom plants are divided into five groups- Thallophytes, Bryophytes, Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms, and Angiosperms.
• Thallophyta
  • The plant body is not differentiated from roots, stems, and leaves.
  • They are commonly called algae.
• Bryophyta
  • These are small terrestrial plants.
  • They show differentiation in the body design, with stem, leaf-like structures, and root-like structures.
• Pteridophyta
  • The plant body is differentiated into roots, stems, and leaves, apart from having a specialized tissue for conduction.
• Gymnosperms
  • Gymnosperms are plants with naked seeds.
• Angiosperms
  • Angiosperms are seed-bearing plants. Seeds develop inside tissues that get modified to form the fruit of the plant.

Explanation:

• Peat is a fossil fuel that is obtained from the swamp. The formation of peat takes place by the fossilization of Sphagnum
• Thus, Sphagnum is also called ''Peat moss''
• Sphagnum is a member of the class Bryopsida from the group bryophytes

Important Points 

• Sphagnum is known by several other names like:

1. Bog moss - It grows in acidic swamps
2. Carpet or turf moss - it spreads like a carpet on swamps, due to which the swamps cannot be seen easily.
3. Absorbent cotton - It can absorb very high amounts of water

Additional Information

Concept:

• Plants are divided into five groups- Thallophytes, Bryophytes, Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms, and Angiosperms.
• Bryophytes are small non-vascular plants. The bryophytes are divided into liverworts and mosses.

Explanation:

• Mosses have a structure called Protonema present in their life cycle and Funaria is a moss thus, the correct option is Funaria
• Funaria belongs to the group Bryophyta.
• Funaria is a type of moss commonly called Rope moss or Cord moss.

The life cycle of a Moss:

• The predominant stage of the life cycle of a moss is the gametophyte which consists of two stages.
• The first stage is the protonema stage, which develops directly from a spore.
• It is a creeping, green, branched, and frequently filamentous stage.
• The second stage is the leafy stage, which develops from the secondary protonema as a lateral bud.
• They consist of upright, slender axes bearing spirally arranged leaves.
• They are attached to the soil through multicellular and branched rhizoids.
• This stage bears the sex organs.
• In sexual reproduction, the sex organs antheridia and archegonia are produced at the apex of the leafy shoots.
• After fertilization, the zygote develops into a sporophyte, consisting of a foot, seta and capsule.
• The capsule contains spores. Spores are formed after meiosis. The mosses have an elaborate mechanism of spore dispersal.

Additional Information 

All the other three options belong to different plant groups and do not have Protonema in their life cycle.

• Spirogyra is a free-floating green alga. It belongs to the Chlorophyta kingdom.
• Spirogyras are filamentous algae that consist of thin unbranched chains of cylindrical cells.
• Spirogyra species can reproduce both sexually and asexually.
• Rhizopus also called bread mold belongs to the class Zygomycetes Fungi. They prefer to grow on bread.
• Dryopteris commonly called the wood ferns, male ferns, or buckler ferns is a fern genus in the family Dryopteridaceae in pteridophytes.​