Question

The chief water-conducting elements of xylem in gymnosperms are

• A. Tracheids
• B. Fibers
• C. Transfusion tissue
• D. Vessels

Answer 1

The correct option is A

Tracheids

The correct option is A.

Explanation of the correct option:

1. In the xylem of vascular plants, a tracheid is a long, tapered, lignified cell.
2. Conduction of water and minerals is not as efficient as in vessels.
3. Tracheids are found in pteridophytes, most of the gymnosperms.
   

Explanation of the incorrect options:

Option B:

Cellulose makes up the majority of plant fibers, frequently in conjunction with other substances like lignin.

Option C:

1. Transfusion tissue is a type of tissue that is typically seen surrounding the vascular bundles of gymnosperm leaves.
2. It is made up of both living cells, such as parenchyma cells with non-lignified walls and thin-walled, lignified tracheids with bordered pits.

Option D:

1. One of the cell types present in xylem, the water-conducting tissue of plants, is a vessel element or vessel member, also known as a trachea or xylem vessel.
2. The majority of gymnosperms, including conifers, lack the vessel components that are normally seen in angiosperms (flowering plants).

Final answer: The chief water-conducting elements of the xylem in gymnosperms are tracheids.