Question

Identify the family containing mustard and its main characteristics.
A. Brassicaceae- Pentamerous flower, many stamens, monocarpellary gynoecium, capsule fruit
B. Solanacea- Pentamerous flower, five stamens, bicarpellary gynoecium, berry fruit
C. Brassicaceae- Tetramerous flower, six stamens, bicarpellary gynoecium, capsule fruit
D. Poaceae- Trimerous flower, three stamens, monocarpellary gynoecium, caryopsis fruit

Answer 1

Hint: It includes many vegetable and oilseed crops. It is characterised by the presence of four petals and sepals, and six stamens. The seeds are typically enclosed in a pod.

Complete answer
A typical flower has four different types of whorls arranged successively at the stalk or pedicel's swollen end, known as thalamus or receptacle. They are gynoecium, calyx, corolla, and androecium. Calyx and corolla are secondary organs, while the reproductive organs are androecium and gynoecium.

When the floral appendages are in multiples of 3, 4 or 5, respectively, a flower may be termed as trimerous, tetramerous or pentamerous. When a flower has more than one carpel they may be free and are called apocarpous. When the carpels are fused, they are called syncarpous.

Mustard is a plant belonging to the family of Brassicaceae. Flowers of the mustard family typically have four petals, four sepals and six stamens. The female reproductive part of the flower is the gynoecium and consists of one or more carpels. Mustard has two carpels that are fused together. Species of brassicaceae are characterised by four-petalled cross-shaped flowers which feature two long and two short stamens and produce pod-like fruits known as siliques.

Thus, the correct option is option C i.e., Tetramerous flower, six stamens, bicarpellary gynoecium, capsule fruit

Note:The Brassicaceae (or Cruciferae) is a large family of herbs, characterised by flowers with four petals arranged in a cross, with long typical slender seed pods, and a pungent odour or taste. It includes vegetables such as cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, mustard, kale, etc.