NEET 2020 Zoology Question 63 Solution
Question
In water hyacinth and water lily, pollination takes place by:
- (1)insects or wind
- (2)water currents only
- (3)wind and water
- (4)insects and water
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In water hyacinth and water lily, pollination takes place by:
Even though they grow in water, the flowers of water hyacinth and water lily emerge above the level of water and are pollinated by INSECTS OR WIND (anemophily/entomophily), just like land plants! Hydrophily occurs in Vallisneria and Zostera. Mark Option (1) in 5 seconds.
Pollination by water (hydrophily) is quite rare in flowering plants (limited to about 30 genera, mostly monocotyledons), exemplified by Vallisneria, Hydrilla (freshwater), and Zostera (marine seagrass).
In a majority of aquatic plants such as water hyacinth (Eichhornia) and water lily (Nymphaea), the flowers emerge above the level of water and are pollinated by insects or wind, just as in most land plants.
Water lily and water hyacinth possess conspicuous, colorful, fragrant petals designed to attract insect pollinators (entomophily) or produce wind-borne pollen (anemophily), rendering water currents completely uninvolved in their pollination.
Therefore, pollination takes place by insects or wind (Option 1).
Diagnose every choice: Know exactly why the right option works and why distractors fail.
Factually exact; NCERT verbatim states that in water hyacinth and water lily, flowers emerge above water and are pollinated by insects or wind.
Incorrect; true hydrophily occurs in submerged plants like Vallisneria and Zostera, not emergent water hyacinth/lily.
Incorrect; water currents play no role in pollination of water hyacinth and water lily.
Incorrect; water currents do not transport pollen to these elevated aerial flowers.
Students see "Water hyacinth" and "Water lily" and immediately assume water pollination (hydrophily). But their flowers emerge ABOVE water and are pollinated by INSECTS OR WIND!
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