Question

Parachute like pappus is found in
A. Liliaceae or cotton
B. Gramineae or paddy
C. Compositae or marigold
D. Solanaceae or calotropis

Answer 1

In flower heads of the plant family Asteraceae, the pappus is a modified calyx, a component of an individual floret, that surrounds the base of the corolla tube. Bristles (occasionally feathery), awns, scales etc. make up the Asteraceae pappus. The pappus of some species is too tiny to discern without magnification. The calyx of Asteraceae plants gets transformed into hair-like projections known as pappus. They stay in the fruit and open up like an umbrella to assist the seeds float.

Complete solution:
Let’s see each of the options to find the correct answer.
Option:A – Cotton seeds form hairs (not modified from calyx) which are used for their dispersal by air and hence do not form pappus.
So, Option:A is not correct.
Option:B - Pappus is not found in the members of the Gramineae family.
So, Option:B is not correct.
Option:C – Asteraceae family which forms pappus is also known as Compositae family and the members of this family forms a pappus which helps their seeds to float in the air with the help of parachute like pappus which helps in seed dispersal through air.
So, Option:C is correct.
Option:D - Members of the family Solanaceae do not form pappus.
So, Option:D is also not correct.

So, Option:C is the correct answer.

Note:
In Asteraceae, the pappus, a modified calyx, serves an important function in ovary protection and fruit dispersion. It has a role in anemochory and zoochory, as well as protecting the ovary and fruit from predators. Furthermore, in the Asteraceae, the structure and arrangement of pappus components have long been used to distinguish tribes, genera, and other taxa.