Question

The sugarcane plant has
A. Dumb-bell shaped guard cells
B. Pentamerous flowers
C. Reticulate venation
D. Capsular fruits

Answer 1

Hint:
The flowering plants or angiosperms have been divided into two categories based on the cotyledons i.e.,
monocot (having single cotyledon) and dicot (having two cotyledons) plants. Sugarcane is a plant
belonging to the category of monocot plants.

Complete step by step answer:
-Option (A) is correct. Dumb-bell shaped guard cells are the characteristic feature of monocot plants.
Since sugarcane is a monocot plant therefore it has dumb-bell shaped guard cells in the stomata of its
leaves.
-Option (B) is incorrect. Pentamerous flowers are present in dicot plants while in monocots, trimerous
flowers are present. So, sugarcane is a monocot plant that has trimerous flowers instead of
pentamerous one.
-Option (C) is incorrect. The leaves in monocots show parallel venation while in dicots, reticulate
venation is seen. So, sugarcane leaves show parallel venation.
-Option (D) is incorrect. Sugarcane is a tropical grass that does not produce fruits. The capsular fruit is
the characteristic of dicot plants.
Hence, the correct option is (A).

Additional Information:
The guard cells are the epidermal cells that have been modified and are present in the stomata. The
shape of guard cells is like a dumb-bell in the case of monocots and like a kidney or bean in the case of
dicots. The process of transpiration and gaseous exchange in plants is controlled by the opening and
closing of stomata that is guarded by the two guard cells that enclose the stomatal pore.

Note:
Sugarcane is a tropical grass belonging to the family Poaceae that has dumb-bell shaped guard cells,
leaves showing parallel venation, and trimerous flowers. The sugar is stored in long stems or canes of
sugarcane.