Question

The stem of female Cycas plant is
A) Monopodium
B) Sympodium
C) Rhizomatous
D) Dichotomous

Answer 1

Cycas is a gymnosperm that belongs to the family Cycadean. They are palm-like plants, that are used for ornamental purposes in the tropical and subtropical areas. The genus Cycas contains about 105 species.

Complete answer:
The plant body of Cycas is divided into stem, leaves and root. The leaves are dark green in color that circinate during the early stage. The leaves show the presence of midrib, but lateral veins are absent. The leaves are larger and are arranged in a whorl around the stem like a crown. The stem of cycas is generally small and stout, unbranched that shows the presence of leaf scars all over the stem. Cycas produces coralloid roots, that are short tufts and are dichotomously produced. They exhibit symbiotic association with endophytic algae. The Cycas plants are monoecious, that is both male and female reproductive structures are produced in separate plants. The plants are referred to as the male and female plants.
The stem of Cycas is of different types.
1. Monopodium: It is the main axis of the plant. Monopodial branches show the continuous growth of the apical bud whereas the lateral branches are subordinated.
2. Sympodium: In this case, the terminal apical bud ceases growth and the lateral branches grow. This will give rise to the branching of the tree.
3. Rhizomatous: It is the reduced form of the rhizome and stores food.
4. Dichotomous: In this type, the stem displays branching. Here the terminal bud is equally divided to give rise to branches. They are not derived from terminal buds.
The stem of the female Cycas plant is monopodium.
The correct answer is option A.

Note: The leaves, in the case of Cycas, during the younger stages are present in a coiled structure called circinate vernation. As the leaf grows, this coiled structure opens into a complete leaf.
Leaf scars are produced because of the tough leaf bases present on the stem. Overtime, when a leaf falls off from the stem, the scars of leaves remain on the stem. This makes the stem rough in texture.