Question

An example of whorled phyllotaxy-
a. Kaner
b. Rose
c. Mint
d. Marigold

Answer 1

Hint: Whorled phyllotaxy is a type of arrangement of leaves when a pair of leaves develop at each node, there are at least three or more leaves per node

Complete answer:
The phyllotaxy is generally the pattern of arrangement of leaves on a stem. There are three types of phyllotaxy- alternate type, opposite and whorled type phyllotaxy.

- The Kaner plant shows whorl type phyllotaxy. Hence the option (a) Kaner is the correct option.
The whorl type phyllotaxy is when more than three leaves develop at the nodes and form a whorl of leaves. The examples of plants of whorl type phyllotaxy will be sunflower, tulsi, sergula, alstonia etc.
- The leaves of option (b) rose plant shows alternate phyllotaxy. Here the leaves arise alternately.
- The leaves of (c) Mint plant show opposite type phyllotaxy, where the leaves arise from opposite sides of each node.
- The option (d) Marigold shows an alternate type of phyllotaxy.

Hence, The correct answer is option (A).

Additional information:
> Alternate phyllotaxy- The alternate type phyllotaxy is when a single leaf arises from each node and that too in an alternative manner. Examples of alternate phyllotaxy will be China rose, sunflower etc. They can be further divided into - distichous or 1/2 or 2- ranked, tristichous or 1/3 or 3-ranked, pentastic hours or 2/5 or 5-ranked and octostichous or 3/8 or 8-ranked.

> Opposite phyllotaxy- The opposite type phyllotaxy is the type of leaf arrangement when a pair of leaves arises from each node opposite each other. The example of this type of phyllotaxy is guava, calotropis etc. they are further divided into two types- opposite and decussate, and opposite and superposed.

> Whorled phyllotaxy- The whorl type phyllotaxy is when two or more leaves develop at each node. Examples of these plants are hydrilla verticillata, Nerium, etc.

Note: The whorled phyllotaxy in plants can be easily identified by the plant's stem nodes, where each node has more than three or more leaves arising from them. This type of phyllotaxy plant also shows whorled leaf arrangements. In this type of arrangements the leaves that arise from each node are equally spaced from one another.