Question

Which of the following plants is monoecious?

• A. Cycas circinalis
• B. Carica papaya
• C. Chara
• D. Marchantia polymorpha

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

To determine which of the given plants is monoecious, we need to understand the concepts of monoecious and dioecious plants.

• Monoecious plants have both male and female reproductive organs on the same individual plant. Examples include corn, birch, and oak.
• Dioecious plants have male and female reproductive organs on separate plants, requiring both for fertilization. Examples include papaya, willow, and spinach.

Now, let's evaluate each of the given options:

1. Cycas circinalis: Cycas is a gymnosperm genus that is dioecious, meaning each plant is either male or female.
2. Carica papaya: Papaya is typically a dioecious plant, although there are some monoecious varieties. However, it is most commonly known as dioecious.
3. Chara: Chara is a type of algae, specifically a green alga, that is monoecious. It has both reproductive structures (antheridia and oogonia) on the same thallus.
4. Marchantia polymorpha: Marchantia is a liverwort and is dioecious, meaning each plant is either male or female with separate male and female plants.

Based on this analysis, Chara is the plant that is monoecious as it possesses both male and female reproductive structures on the same plant.