Chapter 6: Anatomy of Flowering Plants – MCQs
🌱 Anatomy of Flowering Plants — MCQs
Part 1 (Q1–Q25)
Q1. Study of internal structure of plants is called
A) Morphology
B) Cytology
C) Anatomy ✅
D) Embryology
Explanation: Plant anatomy deals with internal organization of tissues in organs like root, stem, leaf.
Q2. Meristems responsible for increase in length are
A) Apical meristems ✅
B) Intercalary meristems
C) Lateral meristems
D) Secondary meristems
Explanation: Apical meristems at root and shoot tips cause primary growth (length).
Q3. Intercalary meristems are typically found at
A) Root tip
B) Leaf apex
C) Nodes and internodes of grasses ✅
D) Flower base
Explanation: Intercalary meristems (a type of primary meristem) occur at nodes/internodes in monocot grasses enabling rapid elongation.
Q4. Increase in girth of stem is mainly due to activity of
A) Apical meristem
B) Intercalary meristem
C) Vascular cambium ✅
D) Protoderm
Explanation: Lateral meristem (vascular cambium) brings about secondary growth, increasing thickness.
Q5. Which is a simple permanent tissue?
A) Xylem
B) Phloem
C) Parenchyma ✅
D) Epidermis
Explanation: Parenchyma, collenchyma, sclerenchyma are simple tissues; xylem & phloem are complex.
Q6. Cells with unevenly thickened cell walls rich in pectin are
A) Parenchyma
B) Collenchyma ✅
C) Sclerenchyma
D) Tracheids
Explanation: Collenchyma has uneven pectocellulosic thickenings, providing flexible support.
Q7. Dead cells with lignified secondary walls providing rigidity are
A) Parenchyma
B) Collenchyma
C) Sclerenchyma ✅
D) Companion cells
Explanation: Sclerenchyma (fibres & sclereids) are dead at maturity, thick and lignified.
Q8. Water conduction in angiosperms occurs mainly through
A) Tracheids
B) Vessels ✅
C) Sieve tubes
D) Fibres
Explanation: Vessel elements are the chief water-conducting cells in angiosperms; tracheids dominate in gymnosperms.
Q9. Which element of xylem is living?
A) Vessels
B) Tracheids
C) Xylem fibres
D) Xylem parenchyma ✅
Explanation: Xylem parenchyma is living; others (vessels, tracheids, fibres) are dead at maturity.
Q10. The sieve tube elements lack
A) Cytoplasm
B) Nucleus ✅
C) Sieve plates
D) P-protein
Explanation: Sieve tubes are living but enucleate; nucleus is functionally provided by companion cells.
Q11. Casparian strips are present in
A) Cortex
B) Epidermis
C) Endodermis ✅
D) Pericycle
Explanation: Endodermal cells possess suberinized Casparian bands controlling apoplastic flow into stele.
Q12. In a dicot root, xylem and phloem are arranged
A) Conjoint collateral
B) Bicollateral
C) Radial ✅
D) Concentric
Explanation: In roots, vascular bundles are radial (xylem and phloem in separate, alternate radii).
Q13. Protoxylem position in typical roots is
A) Endarch
B) Mesarch
C) Exarch ✅
D) Centarch
Explanation: Exarch condition (protoxylem towards periphery) is characteristic of roots.
Q14. The protective tissue formed during secondary growth replacing epidermis is
A) Cork (phellem) ✅
B) Hypodermis
C) Endodermis
D) Pericycle
Explanation: Phellogen (cork cambium) cuts phellem (cork) outward and phelloderm inward—together called periderm.
Q15. Annual rings in wood are due to
A) Activity of apical meristem
B) Seasonal activity of cambium ✅
C) Activity of endodermis
D) Activity of pith
Explanation: Alternation of spring (early) wood and autumn (late) wood each year forms growth rings.
Q16. Heartwood differs from sapwood in being
A) More active in conduction
B) Dark, non-conducting and impregnated with tyloses/resins ✅
C) Lighter and soft
D) More susceptible to decay
Explanation: Heartwood is old, dark, hard, non-functional; sapwood conducts water.
Q17. A bicollateral vascular bundle occurs in
A) Mustard
B) Sunflower
C) Cucurbita ✅
D) Maize
Explanation: Cucurbits show bicollateral bundles (phloem on both sides of xylem).
Q18. Open vascular bundles (with cambium) are typical of
A) Monocot stem
B) Dicot stem ✅
C) Dicot root only
D) Monocot root
Explanation: Dicot stems have open, conjoint, collateral bundles allowing secondary growth.
Q19. Bulliform (motor) cells are characteristic of
A) Dicot leaves
B) Gymnosperm needles
C) Monocot leaves (grasses) ✅
D) Hydrophytes only
Explanation: Bulliform cells on monocot leaves help in leaf rolling to reduce water loss.
Q20. Kranz anatomy is associated with
A) C₃ leaves
B) CAM leaves
C) C₄ leaves ✅
D) Hydrophytes
Explanation: C₄ plants (e.g., maize, sorghum) show Kranz anatomy with bundle sheath chloroplast-rich cells.
Q21. Stomata of dicot leaves are generally
A) More on upper surface
B) More on lower surface ✅
C) Equal on both surfaces
D) Absent
Explanation: Dicot leaves are typically hypostomatic, minimizing transpiration.
Q22. In a typical monocot stem, hypodermis is
A) Parenchymatous
B) Collenchymatous
C) Sclerenchymatous ✅
D) Meristematic
Explanation: Monocot stems (e.g., maize) have sclerenchymatous hypodermis and scattered closed bundles.
Q23. The tissue that gives rise to lateral roots is
A) Endodermis
B) Pericycle ✅
C) Cortex
D) Pith
Explanation: Pericycle in roots is meristematic, initiating lateral root primordia.
Q24. Lenticels function in
A) Water conduction
B) Translocation of food
C) Gaseous exchange in woody stems ✅
D) Storage of starch
Explanation: Lenticels are aerating pores in periderm allowing gas exchange.
Q25. Tyloses are
A) Outgrowths of sieve tubes
B) Balloon-like outgrowths of parenchyma into xylem vessels ✅
C) Pits in tracheids
D) Thickening materials
Explanation: Axial/ray parenchyma protrude into vessel lumina forming tyloses, helping heartwood formation.
🌿 Anatomy of Flowering Plants — MCQs
Part 2 (Q26–Q50)
Q26. In a dicot stem, the endodermis is also called
A) Epiblema
B) Starch sheath ✅
C) Pericycle
D) Pith
Explanation: In dicot stems, endodermis cells store starch, hence termed starch sheath.
Q27. In a dicot stem, vascular bundles are
A) Radial
B) Conjoint, collateral, open ✅
C) Conjoint, closed
D) Concentric
Explanation: Dicot stems (sunflower) have conjoint, collateral, open bundles with cambium.
Q28. In a monocot stem, vascular bundles are
A) Scattered, closed ✅
B) Radial, open
C) Collateral, open
D) Concentric
Explanation: Monocot stems (maize) have scattered vascular bundles without cambium (closed).
Q29. The innermost layer of cortex is
A) Epidermis
B) Endodermis ✅
C) Pericycle
D) Phloem
Explanation: Endodermis separates cortex from the stele.
Q30. Companion cells are absent in
A) Angiosperms xylem
B) Angiosperms phloem of monocots
C) Gymnosperms phloem ✅
D) Dicot leaves
Explanation: Gymnosperms lack sieve tubes and companion cells, instead having albuminous cells.
Q31. Which element of phloem controls the sieve tube?
A) Phloem fibres
B) Phloem parenchyma
C) Companion cells ✅
D) Bast
Explanation: Companion cells maintain the metabolic activity of sieve tubes.
Q32. Which plant tissue lacks lignin?
A) Collenchyma ✅
B) Sclerenchyma
C) Xylem fibres
D) Tracheids
Explanation: Collenchyma has pectocellulosic thickening, not lignified.
Q33. Interfascicular cambium arises from
A) Epidermis
B) Medullary rays ✅
C) Endodermis
D) Pericycle
Explanation: Interfascicular cambium forms from parenchyma of medullary rays between vascular bundles.
Q34. Cork cambium is also known as
A) Vascular cambium
B) Phellogen ✅
C) Periderm
D) Phelloderm
Explanation: Phellogen (cork cambium) cuts cork outward and phelloderm inward.
Q35. Which is the living mechanical tissue?
A) Parenchyma
B) Collenchyma ✅
C) Sclerenchyma
D) Tracheids
Explanation: Collenchyma provides support while being living and flexible.
Q36. Guard cells are modified
A) Tracheids
B) Parenchyma ✅
C) Collenchyma
D) Fibres
Explanation: Guard cells are specialized parenchymatous cells controlling stomatal pore.
Q37. Secondary xylem is produced by
A) Apical meristem
B) Cork cambium
C) Vascular cambium ✅
D) Endodermis
Explanation: Vascular cambium produces secondary xylem inside and secondary phloem outside.
Q38. The wood formed in spring season is
A) Autumn wood
B) Heartwood
C) Sapwood
D) Early wood ✅
Explanation: Early (spring) wood has wider vessels, lighter in colour, formed in growing season.
Q39. Late wood differs from early wood in having
A) Narrow lumen & thick walls ✅
B) Wide lumen & thin walls
C) More vessels
D) More parenchyma
Explanation: Late (autumn) wood has narrow vessels, thick walls, making it denser.
Q40. Dendrochronology is the study of
A) Heartwood
B) Annual rings ✅
C) Cork cambium
D) Sapwood
Explanation: Dendrochronology uses annual growth rings to determine age of a tree.
Q41. Periderm includes
A) Cork only
B) Phellogen, phellem, phelloderm ✅
C) Pericycle and cork
D) Cambium and xylem
Explanation: Periderm = phellogen (cork cambium) + phellem (cork) + phelloderm (secondary cortex).
Q42. Hardest part of a tree trunk is
A) Sapwood
B) Heartwood ✅
C) Cambium
D) Phloem
Explanation: Heartwood is hard, dark, non-conducting wood with deposits.
Q43. Polyarch xylem is a characteristic of
A) Dicot root
B) Monocot root ✅
C) Dicot stem
D) Monocot stem
Explanation: Monocot roots have many (polyarch) xylem bundles.
Q44. Exarch protoxylem occurs in
A) Stem
B) Root ✅
C) Leaf
D) Petiole
Explanation: Roots have exarch protoxylem (protoxylem towards periphery).
Q45. Endarch protoxylem occurs in
A) Stem ✅
B) Root
C) Leaf
D) Both A & C
Explanation: In stems, protoxylem lies towards centre (endarch).
Q46. The secondary xylem of gymnosperms is
A) Porous
B) Non-porous ✅
C) Soft
D) Diffuse
Explanation: Gymnosperm wood lacks vessels (non-porous), consisting only of tracheids.
Q47. Albuminous cells are associated with
A) Sieve tubes in angiosperms
B) Sieve cells in gymnosperms ✅
C) Tracheids in gymnosperms
D) Companion cells
Explanation: Gymnosperms have sieve cells + albuminous cells instead of sieve tubes + companion cells.
Q48. Passage cells are found in
A) Cortex
B) Endodermis ✅
C) Pericycle
D) Phloem
Explanation: Passage cells in endodermis (opposite protoxylem) remain unsuberized for water conduction.
Q49. Which wood is commercially valuable?
A) Sapwood
B) Heartwood ✅
C) Early wood
D) Phloem
Explanation: Heartwood is durable, resistant, and commercially used as timber.
Q50. Which of the following does not conduct water?
A) Vessels
B) Tracheids
C) Xylem fibres ✅
D) Xylem parenchyma
Explanation: Xylem fibres provide support only; they are dead, non-conducting.
🌿 Anatomy of Flowering Plants — MCQs
Part 3 (Q51–Q75)
Q51. The cuticle on leaf epidermis is made of
A) Cellulose
B) Suberin
C) Cutin ✅
D) Lignin
Explanation: The cuticle covering epidermis is made of cutin, a waxy, water-resistant material.
Q52. Stomata in monocots are usually
A) Randomly scattered
B) More on lower surface
C) Equally distributed on both surfaces ✅
D) Absent
Explanation: Monocot leaves are typically isobilateral with stomata on both surfaces.
Q53. In dicot root, vascular bundles are
A) Collateral and open
B) Radial, exarch ✅
C) Concentric
D) Bicollateral
Explanation: Dicot roots have radial vascular bundles with exarch xylem.
Q54. In monocot stem, hypodermis is composed of
A) Parenchyma
B) Collenchyma
C) Sclerenchyma ✅
D) Meristematic cells
Explanation: Monocot stems (maize) have sclerenchymatous hypodermis beneath epidermis.
Q55. Bundle sheath is conspicuous in
A) Dicot stem
B) Monocot leaf ✅
C) Dicot root
D) Dicot leaf
Explanation: Monocot leaves (like maize) have bundle sheath cells, prominent in C₄ plants.
Q56. Which vascular tissue is absent in monocots?
A) Vessels
B) Companion cells
C) Cambium ✅
D) Sieve tubes
Explanation: Monocot bundles are closed (no cambium), hence no secondary growth.
Q57. Xylem fibres are also called
A) Wood fibres ✅
B) Bast fibres
C) Albuminous cells
D) Phloem parenchyma
Explanation: Xylem fibres are supportive dead fibres also called wood fibres.
Q58. Sieve tube elements and companion cells are absent in
A) Monocots
B) Dicots
C) Gymnosperms ✅
D) Angiosperms
Explanation: Gymnosperms have sieve cells with albuminous cells instead of sieve tubes + companion cells.
Q59. The cork cells are impermeable to water because of
A) Cellulose
B) Lignin
C) Suberin ✅
D) Cutin
Explanation: Cork cell walls have suberin, making them waterproof.
Q60. Which meristem is responsible for secondary growth in dicot stem?
A) Apical meristem
B) Intercalary meristem
C) Vascular cambium ✅
D) Phellogen
Explanation: Vascular cambium produces secondary xylem and phloem.
Q61. Commercial cork is obtained from
A) Oak tree (Quercus suber) ✅
B) Mango
C) Eucalyptus
D) Teak
Explanation: Quercus suber (cork oak) provides commercial cork.
Q62. Secondary growth is generally absent in
A) Dicot stems
B) Gymnosperms
C) Monocot stems ✅
D) Dicot roots
Explanation: Monocot stems have closed bundles, no cambium, so no secondary growth.
Q63. The first-formed primary xylem elements are
A) Metaxylem
B) Protoxylem ✅
C) Phloem
D) Tracheids
Explanation: Protoxylem forms first, with smaller vessels, later replaced by metaxylem.
Q64. Which type of wood is light in colour and active in conduction?
A) Heartwood
B) Sapwood ✅
C) Hard wood
D) Non-porous wood
Explanation: Sapwood is outer, lighter, and conducts water actively.
Q65. Secondary xylem and secondary phloem are produced by
A) Apical meristem
B) Interfascicular cambium
C) Vascular cambium ✅
D) Phellogen
Explanation: Vascular cambium produces secondary xylem inward, secondary phloem outward.
Q66. Phloem fibres are also called
A) Bast fibres ✅
B) Wood fibres
C) Collenchyma
D) Companion fibres
Explanation: Phloem fibres are supportive fibres known as bast fibres (e.g., jute).
Q67. The vascular bundles of monocot stem are
A) Open
B) Closed ✅
C) Conjoint, open
D) Bicollateral
Explanation: Monocot stems have conjoint, collateral, closed bundles (no cambium).
Q68. The ring of vascular bundles is found in
A) Monocot stem
B) Dicot stem ✅
C) Monocot root
D) Dicot leaf
Explanation: Dicot stems have vascular bundles arranged in a ring, unlike scattered monocot bundles.
Q69. What is the chief water-conducting tissue in gymnosperms?
A) Vessels
B) Tracheids ✅
C) Phloem
D) Sieve tubes
Explanation: Gymnosperms lack vessels; water conduction occurs mainly through tracheids.
Q70. Which structure is formed by phellogen towards inner side?
A) Cork
B) Phelloderm ✅
C) Heartwood
D) Sapwood
Explanation: Cork cambium (phellogen) produces phelloderm (secondary cortex) inward.
Q71. The ground tissue in monocot stem is
A) Differentiated into cortex, endodermis, and pith
B) Uniform parenchymatous ✅
C) Made of collenchyma
D) Made of sclerenchyma
Explanation: Monocot stem ground tissue is undifferentiated, parenchymatous.
Q72. Annual rings are distinct in
A) Tropical evergreen trees
B) Temperate plants ✅
C) Aquatic plants
D) Herbs
Explanation: Temperate woody plants show clear annual rings due to seasonal variations.
Q73. Which cell type controls opening and closing of stomata?
A) Subsidiary cells
B) Guard cells ✅
C) Companion cells
D) Bulliform cells
Explanation: Guard cells regulate stomatal pore by changing turgor pressure.
Q74. Gymnosperm wood is called
A) Hard wood
B) Soft wood ✅
C) Non-porous wood
D) Both B and C
Explanation: Gymnosperm wood lacks vessels, hence termed soft wood/non-porous.
Q75. The innermost layer of bark is
A) Phellem
B) Phelloderm ✅
C) Cortex
D) Pericycle
Explanation: Bark = periderm + secondary phloem; phelloderm is innermost layer formed inward by phellogen.
🌿 Anatomy of Flowering Plants — MCQs
Part 4 (Q76–Q100)
Q76. Secondary growth in dicot roots originates from
A) Apical meristem
B) Intercalary meristem
C) Vascular cambium and cork cambium ✅
D) Pith
Explanation: In dicot roots, cambium ring (vascular cambium) and phellogen bring about secondary growth.
Q77. The cambium between xylem and phloem in vascular bundles is
A) Interfascicular cambium
B) Fascicular cambium ✅
C) Cork cambium
D) Apical cambium
Explanation: Fascicular cambium is primary cambium present within vascular bundles.
Q78. Interfascicular cambium is
A) Primary
B) Secondary (arises from medullary rays) ✅
C) Apical
D) Phellogen
Explanation: Interfascicular cambium arises secondarily from parenchyma of medullary rays.
Q79. The term “bark” refers to
A) Only cork
B) Tissues outside vascular cambium ✅
C) Secondary xylem
D) Endodermis
Explanation: Bark = all tissues outside vascular cambium (secondary phloem + periderm).
Q80. Which type of stomata is common in monocots?
A) Anisocytic
B) Paracytic
C) Dumbbell-shaped guard cells ✅
D) Kidney-shaped guard cells
Explanation: Monocots have dumbbell-shaped guard cells, while dicots have kidney-shaped.
Q81. Pericycle in dicot stem helps in
A) Food storage
B) Secondary growth (cambial activity) ✅
C) Water absorption
D) Photosynthesis
Explanation: Pericycle in dicot stem contributes to cork cambium and lateral growth.
Q82. Vascular bundles in roots are always
A) Radial ✅
B) Conjoint
C) Bicollateral
D) Collateral
Explanation: Roots have radial vascular bundles with xylem and phloem on separate radii.
Q83. The wood used in matchstick industry is
A) Hard wood
B) Soft wood ✅
C) Non-porous wood
D) Sapwood
Explanation: Soft wood (gymnosperms) is used in matchstick making.
Q84. A conjoint, collateral, closed vascular bundle is found in
A) Dicot stem
B) Monocot stem ✅
C) Dicot root
D) Monocot root
Explanation: Monocot stems have closed vascular bundles without cambium.
Q85. Bark formed early in the season is
A) Hard and compact
B) Soft and less compact ✅
C) Dead and rigid
D) Woody and brittle
Explanation: Early season bark is soft and functional, later becomes compact.
Q86. The study of wood is called
A) Dendrology
B) Xylotomy ✅
C) Histology
D) Cytology
Explanation: Xylotomy is the study of structure of wood.
Q87. Duramen refers to
A) Sapwood
B) Heartwood ✅
C) Secondary phloem
D) Pericycle
Explanation: Duramen = Heartwood, the central, hard, non-functional wood.
Q88. Epiblema is the
A) Epidermis of stem
B) Outer layer of root ✅
C) Vascular bundle
D) Pericycle
Explanation: Epiblema (rhizodermis) is the outermost single layer in roots, with root hairs.
Q89. Nucleus is absent in
A) Tracheids
B) Vessels
C) Sieve tube elements ✅
D) Xylem parenchyma
Explanation: Sieve tubes are living but enucleated, assisted by companion cells.
Q90. Annual rings are absent in
A) Tropical evergreen trees ✅
B) Temperate trees
C) Deciduous trees
D) Gymnosperms
Explanation: Evergreen tropical trees (no seasonal variation) lack distinct annual rings.
Q91. Pith is well-developed in
A) Dicot stem ✅
B) Monocot stem
C) Dicot root
D) Monocot root
Explanation: Dicot stems usually have a prominent pith (medulla).
Q92. Vascular bundles in dicot roots are
A) Polyarch
B) Tetrarch or pentarch ✅
C) Closed
D) Concentric
Explanation: Dicot roots have 2–6 xylem bundles (diarch to hexarch), commonly tetrarch/pentarch.
Q93. Passage cells are associated with
A) Pericycle
B) Endodermis ✅
C) Phloem
D) Cambium
Explanation: Passage cells in endodermis remain unsuberized for water conduction.
Q94. The cambium ring in dicot stem is formed by
A) Fascicular cambium
B) Interfascicular cambium
C) Both A & B ✅
D) Pericycle
Explanation: Fascicular cambium + interfascicular cambium form a continuous cambium ring.
Q95. The cork cells are rich in
A) Suberin ✅
B) Lignin
C) Cellulose
D) Hemicellulose
Explanation: Cork walls are suberized, waterproof and protective.
Q96. Bast fibres are obtained from
A) Phloem ✅
B) Xylem
C) Pith
D) Pericycle
Explanation: Phloem fibres (bast fibres) are commercially used (e.g., jute, hemp).
Q97. Which type of wood is suitable for paper industry?
A) Heartwood
B) Soft wood ✅
C) Hard wood
D) Duramen
Explanation: Soft wood (gymnosperms) is preferred for paper pulp.
Q98. Which one is not a permanent tissue?
A) Parenchyma
B) Collenchyma
C) Cambium ✅
D) Sclerenchyma
Explanation: Cambium is meristematic, not permanent.
Q99. Pericycle is absent in
A) Dicot root
B) Monocot root
C) Monocot stem ✅
D) Dicot stem
Explanation: Pericycle is not distinct in monocot stems.
Q100. Which type of vascular bundle is found in sunflower stem?
A) Radial
B) Collateral, open, conjoint ✅
C) Collateral, closed, conjoint
D) Bicollateral
Explanation: Sunflower (dicot stem) has collateral, open, conjoint bundles arranged in a ring.
Anatomy of flowering plants MCQs for NEET, Plant anatomy multiple choice questions for CBSE board, NEET biology anatomy of flowering plants questions with answers, Class 11 anatomy of flowering plants MCQs with explanation, Anatomy of flowering plants NEET important questions, CBSE biology anatomy chapter wise MCQs, NEET solved anatomy of flowering plants multiple choice questions, NCERT anatomy of flowering plants MCQs for NEET and CBSE, Plant anatomy NEET practice test with answers, Secondary growth in plants objective questions for NEET preparation
