Question

Non flowering plants are called as
A. Cryptogams
B. Angiosperms
C. Phanerogams
D. Gymnosperms

Answer 1

Hint: Flowers are the objects of aesthetic, social, ornamental, religious and cultural value. It is always used by humans as a symbol for conveying their feelings such as love, affection, happiness, grief and mourning.

Complete Answer:
Kingdom plantae which is commonly known as plant kingdom comprises algae, bryophytes, pteridophytes, gymnosperm and angiosperms.
This comprises plants having chlorophyll and green in color. The kingdom plantae is divided into two sub categories that are:
- Cryptogams: Cryptogamae means hidden reproduction referring to the plant having no seed thus these are referred as non-seed bearing plants. It comprises non-flowering plants. It is reproduced by spores. It includes algae, mosses, liverworts, pteridophytes etc.
- Phanerogams: it comprises seed bearing plants. It comprises flowering plants. It is reproduced by the help of seeds. It includes gymnosperm and angiosperm.

The correct option is A i.e. cryptogams.

Additional information: The cryptogams are present on aquatic and terrestrial places depending on its nature. Bryophytes are called as amphibians of the plant kingdom because they can live both on land as well as in water thus showing dual nature.
The basic classes of kingdom plantae are:
- Algae include Volvox, Chlamydomonas, Chara, Laminaria, Fucus, Dictyota, Porphyra, Polysiphonia
- Bryophytes include liverworts and mosses like Marchantia, Funaria, and Sphagnum.
- Pteridophytes include Selaginella, Equisetum, Salvinia, fern etc.
- Gymnosperm includes Pinus, Cycas, Ginkgo etc.
- Angiosperms include all flowering plants like wheat, maize, pea etc.
- Some of the gymnosperm plants are living fossils like Ginkgo biloba also known as maidenhair tree is a gymnosperm plant. It is found to be a very old species with some fossils dating back from 270 million years ago. It is native to China and has various uses in traditional medicine and can also be used as a source of food. The plant has erratic branches and is deep rooted due to which it is resistant to wind and snow damage. The plant is dioecious in nature. The plant has various uses like they are used as a source of food, used as traditional medicine for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, used as a dietary supplement.

Note: Cryptogams are lower plants that reproduce asexually, vegetatively and sexually. Vegetrative reproduction in these plants takes place by cell division or fragmentation and asexual by means of spores. Advanced cryptogams show alternation of generation and the two phases are sporophytic phase and gametophytic phase.