Question

Pollination is not carried out by water in -

• A. Zostera
• B. Water lily
• C. Hydrilla
• D. Vallisneria

Hint:

Aquatic plants NOT pollinated by water:
$\bullet$ Water lily and Water hyacinth $\rightarrow$ Flowers emerge above water level and are pollinated by insects or wind.
$\bullet$ Vallisneria & Zostera $\rightarrow$ True water pollination (Hydrophily).

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Concept:
Hydrophily (pollination by water) is restricted to a small number of genera (mostly monocotyledons). Many aquatic plants with emergent flowers rely on wind (anemophily) or insects (entomophily).

Step 1: Examining Pollination in the Aquatic Plants:
- Water lily (Nymphaea) and Water hyacinth (Eichhornia): Although they grow in aquatic environments, their flowers emerge above the surface of the water and are pollinated by insects (entomophily) or wind (anemophily), not by water.
- Vallisneria: An aquatic plant where the female flower reaches the surface of water by a long stalk, and pollen grains are released onto the surface of water to reach the stigma (epihydrophily).
- Hydrilla: A submerged freshwater plant that utilizes water currents for the transport of pollen grains to stigmas.
- Zostera (Marine sea grasses): Submerged marine angiosperms where female flowers remain submerged and long, ribbon-like pollen grains are carried passively inside the water (hypohydrophily).

Step 2: Conclusion:
Pollination is not carried out by water in Water lily.
Therefore, Option (B) is the correct answer.