Question

Bryophyllum reproduces vegetatively through _________.
A) Leaf
B) Root
C) Stem
D) Flower

Answer 1

Hint:Vegetative propagation is a type of asexual reproduction in which new plants are produced from the vegetative parts of the plant like roots, stems, leaves and buds. It may be natural or artificially induced.

Complete answer:
 In Bryophylum, asexual mode of reproduction occurs, specifically, through vegetative propagation of leaves. In the leaves of Bryophyllum, there are notches at the margins where meristem is present. These are the locations from which epiphyllous buds arise which have the potential to produce new plants having shoots, small leaves and adventitious roots. If a leaf of this plant gets detached and falls on a moist soil, each bud can give rise to a new plant.

Some other plants such as Begonia, Kalanchoe and Streptocarpus also develop adventitious buds in their leaves. Vegetative propagation by roots takes place in plants such as tapioca and sweet potato. Here, buds present on the roots develop into leafy shoots above ground and adventitious roots at their bases.

Vegetative propagation by stem is common in plants like mint, onion, garlic, banana, etc. Vegetative propagation by flowers is not well-known. However, in some plants like Agave, vegetative and floral buds get modified and form bulbils. These bulbils store food and help in vegetative propagation of the plants.

Thus, the correct answer is option (A), 'Leaf'.

Note:As compared to the traditional method of plant propagation by seeds, vegetative propagation is a rapid, cheap and easier method of plant propagation. For example, certain plants which usually take a few years to flower can be made to do so within a year by this technique. As the new plants are essentially clones of the parents, they help in the preservation of useful parent characters in the next generation.