Question

In Gymnosperms the pollination is
A. Anemophilous - micropylar
B. Anemophilous - stigmatic
C. Entomophilous - micropylar
D. None of the above

Answer 1

The pollens travel to the flower for reproduction. Due to the presence of a variety of plants on the Earth, the means and type of pollination is different amongst different plants. Depending upon the physical environment, the pollination can be self or cross. It can also depend on the pollinator present. Sometimes the flower is attractive to attract pollinators.

Complete answer: The pollen fuses with the egg cell to produce the embryo which will be the seed in the fruit. The process of transfer of pollen to the female flower is called pollination. This will help the plants to reproduce. The pollen is present in male gametophytes, so it needs a medium by which it can travel to the flower. That medium will act as a pollinator. There are two types of pollination- self-pollination, and cross-pollination. In the self-pollination, the male and female parts are nearby. In the cross-pollination, there is a requirement of a pollinator that will carry the pollen to the female flower part. The pollinator could be any organism or medium which can make pollen to transport from one place to another. The contact of the male anther and female stigma in physical aspects is not that important. The agents include water, wind, animals, and insects. On the basis of pollinating agents, there are the following types of cross-pollination –
1. Hydrophilous flowers – pollination by water.
2. Zoophilous flowers – pollination by humans, bats, etc.
3. Anemophilous flowers – pollination by wind.
4. Entomophilic flowers – pollination by insects.
5. Ornithophilous flowers – pollination by birds.
In Gymnosperms pollination occurs only by Anemophilous.
Option A: Anemophilous – micropylar: In the gymnosperms, the ovules are open or exposed. So the pollens are transferred to the ovules directly, specifically on the small opening of the ovule called the micropyle.
Option B: Anemophilous – stigmatic: In the gymnosperms, the ovules are open or exposed. So the pollens are transferred to the small opening of the ovule called the micropyle. They do not travel via the stigma.
Option C: Entomophilous – micropylar: Entomophilous is pollination by insects. This does not take place in the gymnosperms.
So the answer is option A: Anemophilous - micropylar.

Note: In the absence of pollinators, the pollination still occurs. It occurs in flowers like Viola, peas, etc. There are reduced sepals and petals in them. Nectars are also absent. They do not need pollinators to attract the pollinators to have the pollination.