In bryophytes, the gemmae help in which one of the following?

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Question

In bryophytes, the gemmae help in which one of the following?

Accepted Answer

Correct Answer: C — Asexual reproductionStep-by-step Solution:Gemmae (singular: gemma) are specialized small, multicellular, green, lens-shaped or disc-shaped asexual reproductive structures produced in cup-shaped structures called gemma cups on the thallus surface of certain bryophytes, most notably Marchantia (a liverwort). Each gemma is a fully capable unit of vegetative propagation. When conditions are favorable (e.g., after raindrops splash into the gemma cups), gemmae are dispersed and each one can germinate to give rise to a new, genetically identical individual (gametophyte). This is entirely asexual — no fertilization or gamete fusion is involved.Why other options are wrong: (A) Gaseous exchange in bryophytes occurs through pores (air pores) on the thallus surface — gemmae play no role in this. (B) Sexual reproduction in bryophytes involves production of antheridia (male) and archegonia (female) on the gametophyte, followed by fertilization — gemmae are not involved. (D) Nutrient absorption occurs through rhizoids (root-like structures) and the general thallus surface — not gemmae.Extended Explanation:Bryophytes (mosses, liverworts, hornworts) employ multiple modes of asexual reproduction in addition to gemmae: (1) Fragmentation — pieces of thallus break off and regenerate; (2) Adventitious buds — buds develop on the thallus and detach; (3) Protonema fragmentation — in mosses, the juvenile protonema can fragment and regenerate new plants; (4) Gemmae — as described above. Bryophytes are the amphibians of the plant kingdom — they require water for sexual reproduction (for sperm to swim) but can survive in moist terrestrial habitats. They show alternation of generations with a dominant gametophyte (haploid) and a dependent sporophyte (diploid).Key Concepts: Bryophyte reproduction, gemmae, gemma cups, asexual propagation, Marchantia, liverworts.

In bryophytes, the gemmae help in which one of the following?

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In bryophytes, the gemmae help in which one of the following?

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