Question

Apocarpous gynoecium and rattle shaped stigma are characteristics feature of the family-
a. Apocynaceae
b. Malvaceae
c. Musaceae
d. Rutaceae

Answer 1

Hint: Stigma of the flower that is part of the gynoecium that functions as the receptacle of pollen grains. The rattle shaped stigma is a characteristic feature of family Musaceae.

Complete answer:
The plants having one or more unicarpellate pistils or one multi-carpellate pistil is generally said to be gynoecium. The gynoecium plants having a single carpel is called monocarpus, while free multiple carpelled plants are known as apocarpous. Hence, the plant having a rattle shaped stigma generally belongs to the family Musaceae.

Hence, option c) Musaceae is the right answer.

The Musaceae are a family of flowering plants and are native to the tropics of the earth. The plants are large herbs and bear very large leaves and the lower parts of the leaves form a false stem which make them look like trees in appearance. They do not appear very tall and are perennial herbaceous plants. The lower part of the leaves encloses a false stem also known as pseudostem which is not made of wood. However, the true stem grows underground and is called the rhizome. The flowers bear bracts and grow in groups or inflorescences flowering occurs.

Additional information:
Some of the general characteristics of family-Musaceae are – 1. They are usually elongated in structure but curved at the same time. 2. They are soft flesh plants having high amounts of starch. 3. They are generally bright colored and show variability and vibrancy in colors. 4. They are also called a banana family.

The gynoecium in family Musaceae is normally tricarpellary and trilocular. Ovule is one and basal or numerous with axile placentation. Style is single, filiform and the stigma is trilobed.

Note: The rattle shaped stigma is unique to family- Musaceae. In the case of apocarpous gynoecium, it is not unique to the family –Musaceae as the gynoecium of family Musaceae are generally syncarpous.