Question

Select the correct option regarding the ploidy level of different structures of an angiospermous ovule.

	Nucellus	MMC	Functional megaspore
(a)	n	2n	2n
(b)	2n	n	n
(c)	2n	2n	n
(d)	n	2n	n

• A. a
• B. b
• C. c
• D. d

Answer 1

Answer: (C)

The body of the ovule consists of a mass of parenchymatous cells named nucellus. It is equivalent to megasporangium ($2n$). Megaspore mother cell or megasporocyte is a diploid ($2n$) cell which undergoes meiosis to form a linear tetrad of four haploid megaspores ($n$). Normally, the chalazal megaspore is the functional megaspore while the other three degenerate.