Pteridophytes Practice Questions
40 free Pteridophytes practice questions for the NCERT Biology. Tap an option to answer — you get instant feedback, the correct answer, and a detailed explanation for every question.
Pteridophytes are evolutionarily significant as they are the first terrestrial plants to possess which of the following?
- A Seeds enclosed within protective fruits
- B Vascular tissues (xylem and phloem)
- C Multicellular jacketed sex organs
- D A dominant, long-lived gametophytic phase
Correct answer: Vascular tissues (xylem and phloem)
Pteridophytes are the first terrestrial plants to evolve vascular tissues, xylem and phloem, for the conduction of water and minerals. This adaptation allowed them to grow larger and inhabit more varied land environments compared to bryophytes.
In the life cycle of pteridophytes, the main plant body is a _______ which is differentiated into _______.
- A Gametophyte; a flat thallus-like structure
- B Sporophyte; true roots, stem, and leaves
- C Sporophyte; slender rhizoids and fronds
- D Gametophyte; a foot, seta, and capsule
Correct answer: Sporophyte; true roots, stem, and leaves
Unlike bryophytes where the gametophyte is dominant, the main plant body in pteridophytes is a diploid sporophyte. It possesses true roots, stems, and leaves with well-differentiated vascular tissues.
Small leaves known as 'microphylls' are a characteristic feature of which pteridophyte?
- A Ferns such as Pteris
- B Selaginella
- C Equisetum (horsetails)
- D Adiantum (maidenhair)
Correct answer: Selaginella
Leaves in pteridophytes can be small (microphylls) as seen in Selaginella, or large (macrophylls) as seen in typical ferns. This classification is based on the size and complexity of the leaf structure.
Which of the following structures in pteridophytes bear sporangia that are subtended by leaf-like appendages?
- A Prothallus
- B Sporophylls
- C Rhizomes
- D Indusium
Correct answer: Sporophylls
Sporangia, the structures where spores are produced, are found on specialized leaves called sporophylls. These sporophylls can sometimes be distinct from vegetative leaves.
In some pteridophytes like Selaginella and Equisetum, sporophylls may form distinct compact structures called:
- A Sori clusters
- B Strobili or cones
- C Prothalli
- D Synangia units
Correct answer: Strobili or cones
In certain genera, sporophylls aggregate to form dense, compact structures known as strobili or cones. These are located at the tips of the branches and facilitate efficient spore dispersal.
The spores in pteridophytes germinate to give rise to inconspicuous, small, multicellular, free-living, mostly photosynthetic thalloid gametophytes called:
- A Protonema
- B Prothallus
- C Gemma
- D Archegonium
Correct answer: Prothallus
The prothallus is the gametophyte stage of a pteridophyte. It is typically a heart-shaped, photosynthetic structure that is independent of the sporophyte and requires cool, damp places to grow.
Why is the spread of living pteridophytes limited and restricted to narrow geographical regions?
- A The mature sporophytes cannot tolerate high light intensity for long.
- B The gametophytes require water for fertilization and cool, damp places to grow.
- C They lack the vascular tissues needed to transport water over long distances.
- D They reproduce solely through slow vegetative fragmentation of the thallus.
Correct answer: The gametophytes require water for fertilization and cool, damp places to grow.
The prothallus needs moist and shady conditions to survive, and more importantly, water is essential for the flagellated antherozoids to reach the archegonia for fertilization. This dual requirement restricts their ecological distribution.
Which type of spores are produced by the majority of pteridophytes like Dryopteris?
- A Heterosporous
- B Homosporous
- C Aplanosporous
- D Endosporous
Correct answer: Homosporous
Most pteridophytes are homosporous, meaning they produce only one kind of spore. These spores are identical in size and shape and usually give rise to monoecious prothalli.
Genera like Selaginella and Salvinia are considered _______ because they produce two kinds of spores.
- A Homosporous
- B Heterosporous
- C Isogamous
- D Diplontic
Correct answer: Heterosporous
Heterospory is the production of two types of spores: large megaspores and small microspores. This condition is found in Selaginella and Salvinia and is a crucial step towards the evolution of the seed habit.
In heterosporous pteridophytes, the megaspores and microspores germinate and give rise to:
- A Male and female gametophytes respectively
- B Female and male gametophytes respectively
- C Identical hermaphroditic prothalli
- D New sporophytic plants directly
Correct answer: Female and male gametophytes respectively
Megaspores germinate to form female gametophytes, while microspores develop into male gametophytes. This differentiation of sexes in the gametophyte stage is a key feature of heterospory.
The development of the zygote into young embryos takes place within the female gametophyte in which group?
- A Psilotum
- B Selaginella
- C Equisetum
- D Adiantum
Correct answer: Selaginella
Pteridophytes are grouped into four classes: Psilopsida, Lycopsida, Sphenopsida, and Pteropsida. Selaginella and Lycopodium belong to the Lycopsida.
Which of the following is an example of a member belonging to the class Lycopsida?
- A Psilotum
- B Selaginella
- C Equisetum
- D Adiantum
Correct answer: Selaginella
Pteridophytes are classified into four classes: Psilopsida, Lycopsida, Sphenopsida, and Pteropsida. Selaginella and Lycopodium are primary examples of the Lycopsida class.
Equisetum, commonly known as 'Horsetail', belongs to which class of pteridophytes?
- A Psilopsida
- B Lycopsida
- C Sphenopsida
- D Pteropsida
Correct answer: Sphenopsida
The class Sphenopsida includes Equisetum. These plants are characterized by jointed stems and whorls of small leaves at the nodes.
Which class includes the most familiar 'ferns' like Dryopteris and Pteris?
- A Psilopsida
- B Lycopsida
- C Sphenopsida
- D Pteropsida
Correct answer: Pteropsida
The class Pteropsida contains the true ferns such as Dryopteris, Pteris, and Adiantum. They are typically characterized by large, often highly divided leaves called fronds.
The 'Walking Fern' (Adiantum) gets its name because:
- A Its aerial roots are shaped like a pair of legs.
- B It can move from place to place using its creeping rhizome.
- C New plants grow wherever the tips of its leaves touch the soil.
- D Its spores are physically carried from site to site by animals.
Correct answer: New plants grow wherever the tips of its leaves touch the soil.
Adiantum is called the walking fern because it undergoes vegetative reproduction when the leaf tips touch moist soil, rooting and forming new plants, effectively 'walking' across the ground.
What is the primary role of the annulus in the sporangium of a fern?
- A Protection of spores
- B Photosynthesis
- C Spore dispersal
- D Nutrient absorption
Correct answer: Spore dispersal
The annulus is a specialized ring of cells in the sporangium wall. It undergoes hygroscopic movements (changing shape as it dries) to forcibly eject and disperse spores into the air.
Pteridophytes are often used for which of the following medicinal or practical purposes?
- A Soil binders
- B Medicinal purposes
- C Ornamentals
- D All of the above
Correct answer: All of the above
Pteridophytes have various uses: they are used as medicinal plants, soil binders to prevent erosion, and are frequently grown as ornamental plants due to their attractive foliage.
Which structure in the pteridophyte life cycle is equivalent to the 'pollen grain' of gymnosperms in terms of being the male gametophyte?
- A The microspore
- B The antheridium
- C The male prothallus
- D The antherozoid
Correct answer: The male prothallus
The male prothallus (developed from a microspore in heterosporous forms) is the male gametophyte, equivalent to the pollen grain of gymnosperms. In gymnosperms this stage is highly reduced and represented by the pollen grain.
In ferns, a cluster of sporangia on the underside of a sporophyll is called a:
- A Cone
- B Sorus
- C Strobilus
- D Indusium
Correct answer: Sorus
On the ventral surface of fern leaves, sporangia are organized into clusters called sori (singular: sorus). These are often protected by a flap of tissue called the indusium.
Which of the following statements is INCORRECT regarding pteridophytes?
- A The sporophyte is the dominant phase.
- B They are vascular cryptogams.
- C Gametes are produced by meiosis.
- D Water is required for fertilization.
Correct answer: Gametes are produced by meiosis.
In pteridophytes, gametes are produced by mitosis within the haploid gametophyte (prothallus). Meiosis occurs in the sporophyte to produce haploid spores.
Which of the following is the characteristic of the main plant body in Pteridophytes?
- A Haploid gametophyte body with multicellular rhizoids
- B Thalloid body lacking specialized vascular tissues
- C Filamentous structure with distinct chlorophyll a and b
- D Diploid sporophyte with true roots, stem, and leaves
Correct answer: Diploid sporophyte with true roots, stem, and leaves
In pteridophytes, the dominant phase of the life cycle is the sporophyte. Unlike bryophytes, this body is differentiated into true roots, stems, and leaves, and possesses specialized vascular tissues.
The leaves in Pteridophytes are small (microphylls) in _____ and large (macrophylls) in _____.
- A Ferns, Selaginella
- B Equisetum, Psilotum
- C Pteris, Dryopteris
- D Selaginella, Ferns
Correct answer: Selaginella, Ferns
Pteridophytes show variation in leaf size. Selaginella possesses microphylls, while the common ferns typically possess large, complex leaves known as macrophylls or fronds.
In Pteridophytes, the sporangia are produced on specialized leaf-like appendages called:
- A Sporangiophores
- B Rhizomes
- C Prothalli
- D Sporophylls
Correct answer: Sporophylls
Sporophylls are the leaves that bear sporangia. These structures are central to the reproductive phase of the sporophyte, where spores are formed through meiosis.
Distinct compact structures formed by sporophylls in Selaginella and Equisetum are known as:
- A Soral clusters
- B Indusial coverings
- C Rhizophore branches
- D Cones or strobili
Correct answer: Cones or strobili
In some genera like Selaginella and Equisetum, the sporophylls cluster together tightly at the tips of branches to form distinct reproductive structures called strobili or cones.
The inconspicuous, multicellular, mostly photosynthetic thalloid gametophyte of a pteridophyte is the:
- A Protonema
- B Oogonium
- C Sporangium
- D Prothallus
Correct answer: Prothallus
Spore germination in pteridophytes leads to the formation of a prothallus. This is a small, heart-shaped (in many ferns), free-living gametophyte that requires cool, damp, and shady places to thrive.
Pteridophytes are limited in their geographical distribution because:
- A They lack the vascular tissues needed for efficient water transport
- B Their spores are unable to survive and germinate under dry conditions
- C They are unable to perform photosynthesis efficiently under direct sunlight
- D They require water for the transfer of male gametes to the archegonia
Correct answer: They require water for the transfer of male gametes to the archegonia
The requirement for liquid water for fertilization (to allow the flagellated antherozoids to reach the egg) is a major factor that restricts pteridophytes to moist and shady habitats.
Which of the following describes 'homosporous' pteridophytes?
- A Plants that produce only one kind of spore
- B Plants that produce two different sizes of spores
- C Plants that lack the ability to produce spores
- D Plants where spores germinate into seeds
Correct answer: Plants that produce only one kind of spore
The majority of pteridophytes are homosporous, meaning they produce spores of the same kind. These spores typically develop into monoecious prothalli bearing both male and female sex organs.
Genera like Selaginella and Salvinia are notable for being:
- A Heterosporous
- B Homosporous
- C Non-vascular
- D Seed-producing
Correct answer: Heterosporous
Selaginella and Salvinia are heterosporous, meaning they produce two types of spores: large megaspores (female) and small microspores (male). This is an important step in the evolution of the seed habit.
In heterosporous pteridophytes, the megaspores germinate into _____ gametophytes.
- A Female
- B Male
- C Bisexual
- D Asexual
Correct answer: Female
In heterosporous species, the microspores develop into male gametophytes and the megaspores develop into female gametophytes. This separation is a precursor to the reproductive strategies seen in higher plants.
The precursor to the seed habit is found in pteridophytes where the _____ is retained on the parent sporophyte for variable periods.
- A Female gametophyte
- B Mature pollen grain
- C Male gametophyte
- D Antherozoid
Correct answer: Female gametophyte
In heterosporous pteridophytes, the female gametophyte is retained on the parent sporophyte. The development of the zygote into a young embryo occurs within this female gametophyte, paralleling the seed development in gymnosperms.
Which class of Pteridophytes includes club mosses?
- A Lycopsida
- B Psilopsida
- C Sphenopsida
- D Pteropsida
Correct answer: Lycopsida
Club mosses such as Lycopodium belong to the class Lycopsida. This class is characterized by the presence of microphylls and often has strobili arranged at the ends of the stems.
Equisetum is the only living genus of which Pteridophyte class?
- A Psilopsida
- B Lycopsida
- C Sphenopsida
- D Pteropsida
Correct answer: Sphenopsida
Equisetum, commonly known as horsetail, belongs to the class Sphenopsida. Members of this class have jointed stems with whorls of small, scale-like leaves at the nodes.
Which of the following genera belongs to the class Pteropsida?
- A Psilotum
- B Selaginella
- C Adiantum
- D Equisetum
Correct answer: Adiantum
Adiantum, along with Dryopteris and Pteris, belongs to the class Pteropsida. This class includes the true ferns, which typically possess large, multi-pinnate leaves.
In Pteridophytes, the male sex organs are called _____ and the female sex organs are called _____.
- A Antheridia, Archegonia
- B Microsporangia, Megasporangia
- C Globules, Nucules
- D Pollen, Ovules
Correct answer: Antheridia, Archegonia
The prothallus (gametophyte) bears multicellular sex organs: the antheridia, which produce flagellated male gametes, and the archegonia, which house the egg cell.
Which of the following is an example of the most primitive class of Pteridophytes?
- A Psilotum
- B Lycopodium
- C Equisetum
- D Marsilea
Correct answer: Psilotum
Psilotum belongs to the class Psilopsida, which is considered the most primitive group of vascular plants, often lacking true roots and having a very simple structural organization.
What is the primary function of the vascular tissue in Pteridophytes?
- A Production of spores
- B Conduction of water, minerals, and food
- C Protection against herbivory and desiccation
- D Attracting pollinators
Correct answer: Conduction of water, minerals, and food
Pteridophytes are the first terrestrial plants to possess xylem and phloem. These tissues allow for the efficient transport of water and nutrients, enabling the plants to grow taller than bryophytes.
The 'fiddlehead' or 'circinate vernation' seen in young fern leaves refers to:
- A The way leaves are shed in autumn
- B The coiled arrangement of developing leaves
- C The presence of sori on the leaf surface
- D The underground horizontal growth of the stem
Correct answer: The coiled arrangement of developing leaves
Circinate vernation is a characteristic feature of ferns where young leaves are tightly coiled like the head of a violin (fiddlehead) to protect the delicate growing tip.
Which of the following is an aquatic pteridophyte?
- A Pteris
- B Azolla
- C Dryopteris
- D Equisetum
Correct answer: Azolla
Azolla, Salvinia, and Marsilea are examples of aquatic pteridophytes. Azolla is particularly important in agriculture as a bio-fertilizer due to its association with nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria.
In Pteridophytes, meiosis occurs at the time of:
- A Gametogenesis
- B Spore formation
- C Zygote germination
- D Prothallus formation
Correct answer: Spore formation
Meiosis occurs within the sporangia of the sporophyte (specifically in spore mother cells) to produce haploid spores. This marks the transition from the diploid sporophyte generation to the haploid gametophyte generation.
The underground stem of many ferns that allows for vegetative propagation and survival is called a:
- A Rhizoid
- B Rhizome
- C Stolon
- D Tuber
Correct answer: Rhizome
Most ferns have an underground, horizontally growing stem called a rhizome. It bears roots on the lower side and leaves (fronds) on the upper side, often serving as a storage organ.