Correct option is A
In gynodioecious species, the plant population consists of individuals with female flowers and individuals with hermaphrodite flowers (both male and female reproductive organs). This means that some plants produce only female flowers, while others produce hermaphrodite flowers (both male and female parts).
Explanation of Other Options:
- (2) Female flowers and male flowers on separate individuals: Incorrect — This describes dioecious species, where male and female flowers are on different plants.
- (3) Female flowers and hermaphrodite flowers on the same individual: Incorrect — This describes monoecious species, where both male and female reproductive organs are present on the same plant.
- (4) Female flowers and male flowers on the same individual: Incorrect — This would also describe a monoecious species, not a gynodioecious species.
Information Booster:
- Gynodioecious species have two types of plants in the population: one with female flowers and the other with hermaphrodite flowers.
- Dioecious species have completely separate male and female plants, each with only one type of reproductive flower.
- Monoecious species have both male and female flowers on the same plant.
- The term gynodioecious combines gyno (female) and dioecious (having separate sexes) but refers to a species with a combination of female-only and hermaphrodite individuals.
- This system is often observed in plants that are self-incompatible, where hermaphrodite flowers are more often used for outcrossing.
