Given below are two statements: Assertion (A): Both wind and water pollinated flowers are not very colourful and do not produce nectar. Reason (R): The flowers produce enormous amount of pollen grains in wind and water pollinated flowers. In the light of the above statements, choose the correct answer: (NEET 2025)

Solution & Explanation

Answer: D. Both statements are individually true. Wind- and water-pollinated flowers do not rely on attracting animals, so they are not colourful and bear no nectar (A is true). They also produce huge quantities of pollen because pollen reaching the stigma is purely a chance event in abiotic pollination (R is true). However, the over-production of pollen is a compensation for the uncertainty of abiotic transfer; it does not cause or explain the absence of colour and nectar, which is due to there being no animal pollinator to attract. Hence both are true but R is not the correct explanation of A. NCERT: Ch 1, p.12, lines 53-58 — "Pollen grains coming in contact with the stigma is a chance factor in both wind and water pollination. To compensate for this uncertainties and associated loss of pollen grains, the flowers produce enormous amount of pollen when compared to the number of ovules available for pollination." (and p.13, lines 46-47: "Both wind and water pollinated flowers are not very colourful and do not produce nectar.")