Question

Archegoniate plants belong to
(a)Bryophyta, Pteridophyta, gymnosperms, angiosperms
(b)Thallophyta, Bryophyta, Pteridophyta
(c)Bryophyta, Pteridophyta, angiosperms
(d)Bryophyta, Pteridophyta, gymnosperms

Answer 1

Hint: During the process of evolution in plants, there is a steady reduction in the growth of gametophyte with the elaboration of the sporophyte. The presence of Archegonium is an ancient feature.

Complete answer:
Archegoniate plants belong to the bryophytes, pteridophytes, and gymnosperms. The gymnosperms have the least developed archegonium while bryophytes possess a well-developed archegonium.
-Archegoniate plants are the plants bearing an Archegonium. Archegonium is the female sex organ.
-They are multicellular flask-shaped cells with neck canal cells that produce a single egg (oosphere) at a time. The base is usually swollen and is known as ‘venter'. The neck canal cells degenerate upon maturation. The top of the archegonium is covered by four cover cells which disappear upon the gelatinization of neck cells.
-In gymnosperms such as cycads and conifers, there are two or more archegonia or the female sex organs born from the gametophyte. The female gametophyte is multicellular and is formed by a megaspore enclosed within the megasporangium or nucellus.
-They can either be present at the surface of thallus or remain embedded as in hornworts.
So, the correct answer is ‘Bryophyta, Pteridophyta, gymnosperms.

Note: -Gnetum and Welwitschia group of gymnosperms are devoid of archegonia. Instead, they have a well-developed sporophyte.
-The male sex organ complimentary to archegonium is the Antheridium.
-The archegonium is dependent on the female gametophyte for its nutrition so it remains attached to it.