Module: | Pre-fertilization: Micro/Megasporogenesis
Q12: Consider the following statements regarding hydrophily (water pollination) mechanisms:
1. In Vallisneria, the female flower reaches the surface of the water, and pollen grains are carried passively to it by water currents.
2. In marine seagrasses like Zostera, female flowers remain submerged, and pollen grains are long and ribbon-like.
3. All aquatic plants, including water hyacinth and water lily, use water as their primary pollinating agent.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
2. In marine seagrasses like Zostera, female flowers remain submerged, and pollen grains are long and ribbon-like.
3. All aquatic plants, including water hyacinth and water lily, use water as their primary pollinating agent.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
✅ Correct Answer: A
The correct option is A. Statements 1 and 2 are correct, while Statement 3 is incorrect.
Hydrophily is quite rare, limited to about 30 genera, mostly monocotyledons.
The mechanism varies based on the plant's structural ecology.
In freshwater Vallisneria, female flowers uncoil to reach the surface, and male flowers are released to float; pollination occurs at the air-water interface (epihydrophily). In contrast, marine Zostera exhibits true hypohydrophily, where pollen grains are elongated (ribbon-like) and lack an exine, drifting passively entirely underwater.
Statement 3 is a classic distractor in standardized testing: many aquatic plants with emergent flowers, such as water hyacinth and water lily, are actually pollinated by insects or wind, as their reproductive structures are positioned above the water level, negating the need for water transport.
Hydrophily is quite rare, limited to about 30 genera, mostly monocotyledons.
The mechanism varies based on the plant's structural ecology.
In freshwater Vallisneria, female flowers uncoil to reach the surface, and male flowers are released to float; pollination occurs at the air-water interface (epihydrophily). In contrast, marine Zostera exhibits true hypohydrophily, where pollen grains are elongated (ribbon-like) and lack an exine, drifting passively entirely underwater.
Statement 3 is a classic distractor in standardized testing: many aquatic plants with emergent flowers, such as water hyacinth and water lily, are actually pollinated by insects or wind, as their reproductive structures are positioned above the water level, negating the need for water transport.