Question

State whether the following statements are true or false.
A carpel may be regarded as a modified microsporophyll.

Answer 1

Hint: Carpel includes female reproductive parts while microsporophyll includes male reproductive parts. Carpals enclose ovary in angiosperms. Microsporophylls are present in most of the gymnosperms. Microsporophyll contains pollen sacs.

Complete answer:
The female reproductive organ of a flower is called a carpel. It consists of an ovary, a stigma, and usually a style. It may occur as a single part or as one of a group. If the several carpels joined together with its ovary, it is called a pistil. Depending on the number of carpels they are termed as uni-carpellate pistils or multi-carpellate pistils. They are derived from leaf homologous (megasporophylls). Gynoecium with monocarpous (avocado), apocarpous (strawberry), or syncarpous(tulip). It has a similar function as megasporophyll.
The leaf-like organ which contains microsporangia is known as microsporophyll. Modification in the microsporophyll results in the formation of stamens. Stamens are the male reproductive organ of the plant. It includes another and filament. Anther is a bilobed structure containing pollen grains. Microsporangia is also called pollen sacs. Microsporophyll is formed in most of the gymnosperms and also in Lycopodiales. Stamen is homologous in angiosperms. Pollens have one or more vegetative cells and a reproductive cell.
From the above information it is clear that carpel cannot be regarded as modified microsporophyll. These both are female and male parts respectively.

So, the given statement is false.

Note: Some of the flowers do not have carpels. In these flowers the ovule is enclosed. The microspores are formed by meiotic division in microsporangia. Number of microsporangia in confers is two while in cycads it can be hundred in number. Septa count, locule number and number of lobes of ovary can be counted to determine carpal number.