Question

Choose the incorrect statement from the following.

• A. Long ribbon-like pollen grains are seen in some aquatic plants
• B. In some insect species, the floral reward for pollination is the safe place to lay eggs in the flower
• C. Insect robbers consume pollens or nectar without bringing about pollination
• D. Majority of the flowering plants produce homosexual flowers

Hint:

Most angiosperms have bisexual flowers. Unisexual flowers are present in some plants, not in the majority.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1 : Understanding the Question
The question asks to identify the false statement among four options regarding plant reproductive biology. This requires a broad knowledge of pollination mechanisms, including hydrophily (water pollination), entomophily (insect pollination), and the basic sexual organization of flowers in angiosperms. The focus is on distinguishing common biological facts from inaccurate generalizations.
Step 2 : Detailed Explanation

Aquatic Pollen Adaptations: In many submerged water-pollinated plants (like *Vallisneria* or *Zostera*), pollen grains are often long and ribbon-like. This shape increases the surface area-to-volume ratio, allowing them to be carried effectively by water currents without sinking too quickly. Statement (A) is a correct biological fact.

Symbiotic Floral Rewards: Pollination is often a mutualistic relationship. While nectar and pollen are common rewards, some plants (like *Yucca* and the Pronuba moth, or the Fig tree and wasps) provide a nursery for the insect's larvae. This "safe place for egg-laying" is a specialized floral reward. Statement (B) is correct.

Nectar Robbing: Some insects have learned to bypass the reproductive parts of the flower. They pierce the base of the corolla to reach the nectar directly. Since they do not touch the anthers or stigma, they "steal" the reward without performing pollination. Statement (C) is a correct ecological observation.

Sexual Distribution in Angiosperms: Most flowering plants produce "bisexual" flowers (having both stamens and carpels in the same flower) to increase the chances of pollination. The term "homosexual" is not a standard botanical term used to describe the sex of flowers. Even if the statement meant "unisexual," it would still be incorrect as the majority of angiosperms are bisexual. Statement (D) is incorrect.


Step 3 : Final Answer
Statements (A), (B), and (C) are well-documented botanical truths. Statement (D) uses incorrect terminology and misrepresents the majority sexual state of flowering plants, making it the incorrect statement.