Question

Which of the following features distinguish bryophytes from algae?

1. Having thalloid gametophyte.

2. Having sterile jackets in sex organs.

3. Forming an embryo during development.

4. Having conducting tissues.

• A. 1 and 2.
• B. 2 and 3.
• C. 3 and 4.
• D. 1 and 4.

Answer 1

The correct option is B

2 and 3.

Algae are aquatic with a unicellular or multicellular plant body (thallus) without any division of labour. Bryophytes are mostly terrestrial with a multicellular plant body showing division of labour. Sexual reproduction in algae can be isogamous, anisogamous or oogamous. In Bryophytes, it is always oogamous. The sex organs in algae are mostly unicellular and are not covered with a sterile jacket whereas in bryophytes the sex organs are always multicellular and are covered with a sterile jacket for protection. In algae, the zygote undergoes a resting phase and does not form an embryo, while in bryophytes, the zygote does not have a resting phase and forms an embryo.