Phloem in gymnosperms lacks:
Answer: (D) Both sieve tubes and companion cells. Answer: (D) Both sieve tubes and companion cells.
- A.Albuminous cells and sieve cells
- B.Sieve tubes only
- C.Companion cells only
- D.Both sieve tubes and companion cells✓
Correct Answer
(D) Both sieve tubes and companion cells
Solution & Explanation
Answer: (D) Both sieve tubes and companion cells. Solution: Gymnosperm phloem is composed of sieve cells and albuminous cells (the albuminous cells functionally replacing companion cells), but it has neither sieve tubes nor companion cells — these two are characteristic only of angiosperm phloem. Hence gymnosperm phloem lacks both sieve tubes and companion cells. Options (A), (B) and (C) are wrong because gymnosperms do possess sieve cells and albuminous cells. NCERT Reference: NCERT (Class XI, Anatomy of Flowering Plants — The Tissues / complex permanent tissue (phloem) subsection, pre-2023 rationalisation text): angiosperm phloem consists of sieve tube elements, companion cells, phloem parenchyma and phloem fibres, whereas gymnosperms have sieve cells and albuminous cells and lack sieve tubes and companion cells.