Question

In which of the following algae like characters are present?
A. Riccia
B. Marchantia
C. Ricciocarpus
D. Anthoceros

Answer 1

Hint: The algae are photosynthetic organisms and they contain chlorophyll so choose the option which has the maximum similarity with the characters of the algae. It should be eukaryotic. The components required for the organisms to be autotrophic should also be present.

Complete answer:
The characters of Anthoceros match the most with the features of algae.
The algae generally are known to contain pyrenoids and it is a characteristic feature for it and the Anthoceros is also known to possess the pyrenoids. Also, the size of the chloroplasts is large and their number per cell is also definite. The sexual reproduction in the Anthoceros is with the help of sperms which share the same morphology with the algae sperms having the flagella with a whiplash type. The growth of the Anthoceros is via branching just like algae and has a dorso-ventrally flattened body.
Since both the riccia and Marchantia are a part of the liverwort family of bryophytes class the presence of chloroplast is there but the small subcellular compounds like the pyrenoids which are responsible for the fixation of CO2 and they are points around which the CO2 rich environments are maintained around the photosynthetic enzymes.
The difference between the algae and ricciocarpus is because there is some scale like structures which hug out from the body of the plant. These scales are long and have a shape like a sword. Although ricciocarpus is similar to the riccia but the difference is of the scales. Also, they grow in two different environments which are aquatic and terrestrial. So, we can say that Anthoceros is closely related to algae.

Note: The first three options belong to the family of bryophytes and they somehow are able to do the process of the photosynthesis but they lack the subcellular components required to be like an alga.