75 practice questions on Plant Kingdom , sorted Easy → Hard. Try each one first, then open its answer page for the worked explanation. Want the full theory first? Read the Plant Kingdom notes .
Plant Kingdom: Increasing Complexity Algae no roots/leaves → Bryophyta "amphibians" no vascular tissue → Pteridophyta first vascular no seeds → Gymno- sperms naked seeds → Angio- sperms seeds in fruit Need for external water decreases left→right; seed enclosure only appears in angiosperms Plants evolved from water-dependent algae through increasingly land-adapted groups, gaining vascular tissue (Pteridophyta), then seeds (Gymnosperms), and finally fruit-enclosed seeds (Angiosperms) - each step reducing dependence on water for reproduction.
Easy - 25 questions Q1.
Green algae with chlorophyll a and b that store food as starch are placed in the class:
A Chlorophyceae (green algae)B Phaeophyceae (brown algae)C Rhodophyceae (red algae)D Cyanophyceae (blue-green)Show answer & explanation →
Q2.
In a moss or liverwort, the male sex organ is the:
A The archegoniumB The antheridiumC The flower antherD The pollen sacShow answer & explanation →
Q3.
The pigment that gives brown algae their characteristic colour is:
A Chlorophyll bB PhycoerythrinC FucoxanthinD PhycocyaninShow answer & explanation →
Q5.
The reserve food material stored by red algae (Rhodophyceae) is:
A Floridean starchB Laminarin starchC Simple glycogenD Stored inulinShow answer & explanation →
Q6.
Which group of plants is called the amphibians of the plant kingdom?
A AlgaeB BryophytesC PteridophytesD GymnospermsShow answer & explanation →
Q7.
What kind of seeds do gymnosperms have?
A Covered by fruitB Naked (not enclosed in fruit)C Covered by a hard shell onlyD Enclosed in a podShow answer & explanation →
Q8.
Which plant group was the first to develop vascular tissue?
A AlgaeB BryophytesC PteridophytesD AngiospermsShow answer & explanation →
Q9.
Angiosperms are also called flowering plants because they
A Reproduce mainly through haploid spores released from sporangiaB Produce flowers and seeds enclosed in fruitsC Bear naked seeds lacking any surrounding fruit wall tissueD Are restricted mainly to aquatic, deeply submerged habitatsShow answer & explanation →
Q19.
What is the leaf venation pattern in dicots?
A Parallel venation as seen in monocotsB Reticulate (net-like)C Circular venation around the leaf marginD No veins at all, just diffuse vascular tissueShow answer & explanation →
Q21.
Which of the following does NOT produce seeds?
A Cycas, a gymnosperm with seed conesB Rose, an angiosperm flowering plantC PteridophytesD Mango, a seed-bearing fruit treeShow answer & explanation →
Q22.
Viruses are
A Prokaryotic organisms possessing a cell wall and free-living metabolismB Non-cellular obligate intracellular parasitesC Unicellular eukaryotes containing a membrane-bound nucleus and organellesD Multicellular fungi reproducing through dispersal of haploid sporesShow answer & explanation →
Q25.
What is the process by which gymnosperms transfer pollen to female cones?
A Hydrophily, pollination carried by waterB Anemophily (wind pollination)C Entomophily, pollination carried by insectsD Self-pollination occurring only within a single coneShow answer & explanation →
Medium - 25 questions Q26.
The chief stored food (reserve) in brown algae is mainly:
A Floridean starchB Laminarin and mannitolC True plant starchD Animal glycogenShow answer & explanation →
Q27.
The male and female cones of a gymnosperm bear reproductive leaves called:
A Coloured petals and sepalsB Open flowers and fruitsC Micro- and megasporophyllsD Root rhizoids and thalliShow answer & explanation →
Q28.
The leafy plant of a moss develops from a green, creeping, filamentous stage called the:
A A prothallusB A rhizomeC A thallusD A protonemaShow answer & explanation →
Q30.
In ferns and other pteridophytes, the conspicuous plant body we usually see is the:
A The haploid gametophyteB The diploid sporophyteC A prothallus stageD A protonema stageShow answer & explanation →
Q31.
The alternation of generations in plants refers to
A Cyclical seasonal changes in vegetative growth rate across the yearB Alternation strictly between sexual reproduction in summer and asexual reproduction in winterC Alternation between sporophyte (2n) and gametophyte (n) generationsD Diurnal growth cycles governed by stomatal opening and closingShow answer & explanation →
Q32.
In angiosperms, which generation is dominant?
A GametophyteB SporophyteC Both are equally dominantD NeitherShow answer & explanation →
Q33.
What distinguishes Class Monocotyledonae from Class Dicotyledonae in angiosperms?
A Presence of vascular tissueB Number of cotyledons in seedsC Presence of flowersD Production of seedsShow answer & explanation →
Q34.
Which plant group shows the most reduced gametophyte generation?
A BryophytesB PteridophytesC GymnospermsD AngiospermsShow answer & explanation →
Q35.
Vascular bundles in monocot stems are
A Arranged in a single peripheral ring surrounding a central pith regionB Scattered throughout the ground tissueC Restricted largely to the outer bark layer of the stemD Largely absent, with conduction occurring mainly through ground tissueShow answer & explanation →
Q36.
What is heterospory in pteridophytes?
A Bearing two structurally distinct leaf types on the same sporophyte plantB Production of two types of spores (microspores and megaspores)C Developing two anatomically distinct root types from the same embryoD Alternating growth between an aquatic habitat and a terrestrial habitatShow answer & explanation →
Q37.
Which of the following is a characteristic feature of gymnosperms?
A Double fertilizationB Vessels in xylemC Polyembryony is commonD Fruit formation after fertilizationShow answer & explanation →
Q39.
What is the economic importance of Cycas?
A Serves as a commercial source of natural latex rubberB Yields sago (food starch from stem pith)C Harvested as a primary source of construction-grade timberD Cultivated as a source of silk fiber from its leaf surfaceShow answer & explanation →
Q40.
Which algal division contains photosynthetic pigment phycoerythrin?
A ChlorophytaB PhaeophytaC RhodophytaD CyanophytaShow answer & explanation →
Q42.
In which plant group do seeds first appear as an evolutionary development?
A AlgaeB BryophytesC PteridophytesD GymnospermsShow answer & explanation →
Q44.
What is the function of rhizoids in bryophytes?
A PhotosynthesisB ReproductionC Absorption and anchorage (like roots)D Water conduction in vascular systemShow answer & explanation →
Q47.
What is mycorrhiza?
A A root-rot disease caused by parasitic fungal infectionB Symbiotic association between fungi and plant rootsC A form of asexual spore-based reproduction occurring within fungal hyphaeD A free-living photosynthetic alga found in freshwater and marine habitatsShow answer & explanation →
Q48.
Which group of plants produces both microspores and megaspores in separate structures?
A BryophytesB Homosporous fernsC AngiospermsD Cycads (gymnosperms)Show answer & explanation →
Q49.
Penicillin is produced by which organism?
A Bacterium BacillusB Fungus PenicilliumC Red alga GracilariaD Cyanobacterium NostocShow answer & explanation →
Q50.
The plant group often called the "amphibians of the plant kingdom" is the:
A bryophytesB pteridophytesC gymnospermsD angiospermsShow answer & explanation →
Hard - 25 questions Q51.
A haplontic life cycle, where the main plant is haploid and only the zygote is diploid, is typical of:
A Flowering angiospermsB Seed-bearing gymnospermsC Green algae like SpirogyraD Mosses and liverwortsShow answer & explanation →
Q52.
Pteridophytes and the seed plants, which all possess xylem and phloem, are together called:
A ThallophytesB BryophytesC CryptogamsD TracheophytesShow answer & explanation →
Q53.
Motile, ciliated sperms that still need water for fertilisation are retained in which seed plants?
A Cycas and GinkgoB Grasses and cerealsC Peas and beansD The sunflower familyShow answer & explanation →
Q54.
In an angiosperm, the extremely reduced male gametophyte is represented by the:
A The embryo sacB The pollen grainC The nucellus tissueD The endosperm cellShow answer & explanation →
Q55.
Laminaria and Sargassum, with chlorophyll a and c plus fucoxanthin, are grouped under the class:
A ChlorophyceaeB RhodophyceaeC PhaeophyceaeD CyanophyceaeShow answer & explanation →
Q56.
In the life cycle of Fucus (brown alga), which generation is dominant and what type of life cycle does it show?
A Dominant gametophyte; haplonticB Dominant sporophyte; diplonticC Equal gametophyte and sporophyte; diplohaplonticD Dominant sporophyte; haplodiplonticShow answer & explanation →
Q57.
What is the significance of the seed habit in plant evolution?
A Seeds are uniformly smaller and lighter than the spores they evolved fromB Seeds provide independence from water for fertilization and protect the embryoC Seed formation is restricted entirely to consistently moist, waterlogged conditionsD Seeds undergo a shorter dormancy period than the spores of earlier plant lineagesShow answer & explanation →
Q58.
What is the difference between homospory and heterospory? Why is heterospory considered a precursor to seed habit?
A Homospory is sometimes mistakenly thought to directly produce true seeds, while heterospory never forms any seed-like structureB Heterospory produces two types of spores which develop into separate male and female gametophytes, a precursor to pollen and ovuleC Homospory is sometimes mistakenly thought to occur mainly within true ferns, while heterospory is restricted to algaeD Heterospory is sometimes mistakenly thought to describe the development of two distinct leaf forms rather than two spore typesShow answer & explanation →
Q59.
Prothallus in pteridophytes is
A The sporophyte plant generation in the life cycleB The free-living, independent gametophyteC The spore-producing structure within the sporophyteD A modified root adapted for a specific functionShow answer & explanation →
Q60.
What is the economic importance of Porphyra (red alga)?
A Processed industrially as a renewable source of crude petroleumB Used as food (nori in Japanese cuisine) and for agar productionC Harvested commercially as a source of structural timber for constructionD Cultivated solely as a source of pharmaceutical-grade medicinal compoundsShow answer & explanation →
Q62.
What is the difference between the xylem of gymnosperms and angiosperms?
A Gymnosperms are sometimes mistakenly thought to largely lack any xylem tissue for water conduction altogetherB Gymnosperm xylem lacks vessels (mostly tracheids); angiosperm xylem has both vessels and tracheidsC Angiosperm xylem is sometimes mistakenly thought to be composed mainly of tracheids with few vessel elements presentD Gymnosperm and angiosperm xylem are sometimes thought to be structurally indistinguishable from one another overallShow answer & explanation →
Q63.
In bryophytes, the sporophyte is dependent on the gametophyte for nutrition. What does this indicate about evolution?
A It is sometimes mistakenly thought to indicate bryophytes occupy a more advanced evolutionary position than fernsB Bryophytes represent an early stage where sporophyte has not yet become fully autotrophic and independentC It is sometimes mistakenly thought to indicate bryophytes never form a distinct sporophyte generationD It is sometimes mistakenly thought to indicate this dependency confers a net survival advantage over independent sporophytesShow answer & explanation →
Q64.
What is the role of archegonium in the plant kingdom?
A Generates haploid spores released for dispersal by wind or water currents overall in most casesB Female sex organ that contains the egg cell; found in bryophytes, pteridophytes, and some gymnospermsC Produces and releases pollen grains containing the male gametophyte structure under typical conditionsD A modified photosynthetic leaf structure specialized for vegetative reproduction methods according to standard textbooksShow answer & explanation →
Q65.
Why are cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) placed in Kingdom Monera and not in Plantae?
A They are sometimes mistakenly thought to be incapable of carrying out oxygenic photosynthesisB They are prokaryotes (no membrane-bound nucleus) unlike plants which are eukaryotesC They are sometimes mistakenly thought to largely lack chlorophyll a, the pigment required for light absorptionD They are sometimes mistakenly thought to reproduce mainly through sexual fusion of differentiated gametesShow answer & explanation →
Q66.
What is double fertilization and in which plant group is it exclusively found?
A Two separate pollen tubes are sometimes mistakenly thought to fuse together within the micropyle; found in all seed plantsB One sperm fertilizes the egg AND another fuses with polar nuclei to form triploid endosperm; found exclusively in angiospermsC Two distinct egg cells are sometimes mistakenly thought to be fertilized simultaneously within a single ovule; found in gymnospermsD Two male sperm cells are sometimes mistakenly thought to fuse directly with each other before fertilization; found in bryophytesShow answer & explanation →
Q67.
Which type of life cycle is called diplohaplontic?
A A life cycle consisting mainly of a free-living diploid phaseB A life cycle consisting mainly of a free-living haploid phaseC Both diploid and haploid phases are free-living and independentD A life cycle in which the organism remains permanently diploid at every stageShow answer & explanation →
Q68.
What distinguishes Cycas from other gymnosperms and makes it a living fossil?
A It is sometimes mistakenly thought to produce true flowers bearing petals adapted for insect-mediated pollinationB It has changed very little from its ancestors 280 million years ago and has features of both ferns and gymnospermsC It is sometimes mistakenly thought to develop true fleshy fruits that fully enclose its mature seedsD It is sometimes mistakenly thought to be seedless, reproducing mainly through the dispersal of sporesShow answer & explanation →
Q69.
In which group is the gametophyte represented by a single cell?
A BryophytesB PteridophytesC GymnospermsD AngiospermsShow answer & explanation →
Q70.
What is the economic and ecological role of mycorrhizal fungi?
A They are sometimes mistakenly thought to cause widespread root-rot disease across most cultivated crop speciesB They enhance plant nutrient uptake (especially P) and improve soil structure; used in agricultureC They are sometimes mistakenly thought to survive mainly as saprophytic decomposers of dead plant litterD They are sometimes mistakenly thought to be uniformly pathogenic, damaging the root systems of host plantsShow answer & explanation →
Q71.
What is heterothallism in fungi?
A Possessing two structurally distinct hyphal types within a single myceliumB Requiring two compatible mating types (+/-) from different individuals for sexual reproductionC Alternating between sexual spore formation and asexual conidial budding within one cycleD Growing simultaneously across two physically separate nutrient substratesShow answer & explanation →
Q72.
The dominant, photosynthetic phase in the life cycle of a bryophyte is the:
A gametophyteB the sporophyteC the zygoteD the seedShow answer & explanation →
Q73.
True vascular tissue (xylem and phloem) first appears in the:
A pteridophytesB the bryophytesC the green algaeD the fungiShow answer & explanation →
Q74.
Naked seeds not enclosed within an ovary are a characteristic feature of:
A gymnospermsB angiospermsC bryophytesD pteridophytesShow answer & explanation →
Q75.
Double fertilisation and triple fusion are unique features of:
A angiospermsB gymnospermsC pteridophytesD bryophytesShow answer & explanation →