Question

A dicotyledonous plant bears flowers but never produces fruits and seeds. The most probable cause for the above situation is:

• A. Plant is monoecious
• B. Plant is dioecious and bears both pistillate and staminate flowers
• C. Plant is dioecious and bears only staminate flowers.
• D. Plant is dioecious and bears only pistillate flowers

Answer 1

The correct option is C Plant is dioecious and bears only staminate flowers.

Dioecious plants

When the male and female flowers are borne on two different plants, these plants are called dioecious plants. Example:- Papaya, date palms, some members of cucurbitaceae family



Staminate and pistillate flowers

Staminate flowers are unisexual flowers that contain the male reproductive whorl only, the female reproductive whorl is missing.
Pistillate flowers are unisexual flowers that have the female reproductive whorl and the male whorl is missing.

Seed development in dioecious plants

Dioecious plants having staminate flowers are not able to produce fruits and seeds because fruit develops from the female reproductive organ. So dioecious plants with staminate flowers will not produce seeds and fruits.

Final answer

d. Plant is dioecious and bears only staminate flowers.