Question

When the pistils are fused together, this state is called:

• A. Apocarpous
• B. Syncarpous
• C. Monocarpellary
• D. Multicarpellary

Hint:

Morphology of Gynoecium:
$\bullet$ Fused pistils = Syncarpous (Example: Papaver)
$\bullet$ Free pistils = Apocarpous (Example: Michelia)

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Concept:
The gynoecium represents the female reproductive organ of a flower and may consist of a single pistil/carpel or multiple pistils/carpels that can either be free or fused together.

Step 1: Botanical Terms Describing Carpel Fusion:
- Syncarpous: When a flower possesses a multicarpellary gynoecium in which the individual carpels/pistils are fused together into a single compound structure (e.g., Papaver, Hibiscus).
- Apocarpous: When a multicarpellary gynoecium has carpels/pistils that remain completely free and separate from each other (e.g., Michelia, Lotus, Rose).
- Monocarpellary: A condition where the gynoecium consists of only one single pistil/carpel (e.g., pea, bean).
- Multicarpellary: A condition where the gynoecium contains more than one carpel (can be either syncarpous or apocarpous).

Step 2: Conclusion:
When the pistils are fused together, the morphological condition is termed Syncarpous.