Question

Refer to the following figures regarding Division Bryophyta.

(i) '$A$' are the androcyte mother cells of the antheridium, which give rise to a large number of biflagellate male gametes.
(ii) '$B$' is the antheridial chamber and '$C$' is the multicellular stalk of antheridium.
(iii) '$D$' and '$E$' respectively represent venter canal cells and neck canal cell of the female sex organ.
(iv) '$F$' is the egg cell of the archegonium, which usually possesses several female gametes.
Which of the following combinations of above statements is incorrect ?

• A. (i) and (ii)
• B. (iii) and (iv)
• C. (ii) and (iii)
• D. (i) and (iv)

Answer 1

Answer: (B)

The given figures belong to antheridium (male sex organ) and archegonium (female sex organ) of Marchantia (a bryophyte). The mature antheridium is an ovoid object raised on a short, multicellular stalk (labelled as $C$).The stalk attaches the antheridium to the floor of the antheridial chamber (labelled as $B$).The body of the antheridium has a jacket layer of sterile cells constituting its wall. The latter encloses a mass of androcyte mother cells (labelled as $A$). Androcyte mother cells give rise to a large number of biflagellate male gametes (sperms). The body of the archegonium consists of two parts, the venter (labelled as $E$) and the neck (labelled as $D$). The venter forms the swollen, basal portion of the archegonium. It is continued into the long, slender, tubular neck. The venter consists of a wall of a single layer of sterile cells enclosing the venter cavity, The latter contains a small, upper ventral canal cell and a lower larger egg or ovum (labelled as $F$).