Question

Nephrolepis is a
(a)Bryophyte
(b)Pteridophyte
(c)Gymnosperm
(d)Angiosperm

Answer 1

Hint: Nephrolepis is a genus of around 30 species of plants and is the only species in its family Nephrol Apiaceae. This genus is also referred to as macho ferns or the sword ferns. They belong to the order of Polypodiales and the division of first vascular plants.

Complete Answer:
Nephrolepis is also known as the Lemon Button Fern which belongs to the sub-family Lomariopsidaceae and they are native to tropical regions all over the world. They reproduce with the help of spores and show an alternation of generation in their life cycle, i.e., the diploid generation is followed by a haploid generation.
The ferns belong to the division of vascular cryptogams or the division Pteridophyta. Some species of Nephrolepis are grown as ornamental plants while some others are reported to be good for the purification and filtration of the indoor air.
Some species of Nephrolepis have proven to be sources of certain new antimicrobial chemical substances.

Additional Information:
-Pteridophytes are sometimes also called the “Reptiles of the plant kingdom” as they are the first true land plants similar to reptiles which were the first true land animals.
-They were the first plants to show a primitive vascular system in the form of a mesarch xylem and food conduction system. Hence, they were also known as vascular cryptogams.
-Some ferns were also the pioneers of the seed habit and heterophyllous habits by developing separate microsporophyll and megasporophyll while some reproduced asexually with the help of spores.

So, the correct answer is, “Pteridophyte”

Note:
-Nephrolepis exaltata and Nephrolepis obliterate are pteridophytes that are reported to be good plants for cleaning the indoor air.
-Nephrolepis can be considered under the family Nephrol Apiaceae while some species are considered under the family of Lomariopsidaceae which is a sub-family under Davalliaceae or Oleandraceae. However, all of these families are considered under the order Polypodiales of the division Pteridophyta.