94. Which statement about fungi is incorrect?
[NEET UG, 2019]
(A) Morels and truffles are edible ascomycetes
(B) Claviceps produces ergot alkaloids
(C) Conidia form externally while ascospores form inside asci
(D) Yeasts ordinarily have long multicellular hyphae
Answer: (D) Yeasts ordinarily have long multicellular hyphae
Explanation: Yeasts such as Saccharomyces are typically unicellular rather than long, filamentous fungi. Morels and truffles are prized edible fungi, while Claviceps produces alkaloids. Conidia and ascospores differ in their formation and reproductive roles.
93. Select the correct matching: saprophyte, parasite, lichen and mycorrhiza.
[NEET UG, 2019]
(A) Saprophyte-root symbiosis; parasite-decomposer; lichen-parasitic; mycorrhiza-alga-fungus
(B) Saprophyte-parasite; parasite-decomposer; lichen-root symbiosis; mycorrhiza-alga-fungus
(C) Saprophyte-decomposer; parasite-root symbiosis; lichen-parasite; mycorrhiza-alga-fungus
(D) Saprophyte-decomposer; parasite-on living host; lichen-alga and fungus; mycorrhiza-fungus and root
Answer: (D) Saprophyte-decomposer; parasite-on living host; lichen-alga and fungus; mycorrhiza-fungus and root
Explanation: Saprophytes use dead organic substrates and parasites draw nutrients from living hosts. A lichen pairs photosynthetic organisms with fungi, while mycorrhiza is an association between fungal hyphae and plant roots.
92. Algae were placed mainly in which traditional plant division?
[RRB Group D, 23 September 2018]
(A) Bryophyta
(B) Thallophyta
(C) Gymnosperms
(D) Pteridophyta
Answer: (B) Thallophyta
Explanation: Thallophyta was traditionally used for organisms with an undifferentiated thallus, including many algae. Modern classification places algae in multiple evolutionary lineages, so the textbook division is primarily a historical examination category.
91. Which descending taxonomic sequence is correctly arranged?
[UPSC NDA I, 22 April 2018, General Ability]
(A) Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus
(B) Phylum, Class, Family, Order, Genus
(C) Family, Order, Class, Species, Genus
(D) Class, Family, Order, Species, Genus
Answer: (A) Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus
Explanation: Phylum includes multiple classes, each class contains orders, each order contains families, and each family contains genera. Species follow genus as the narrowest standard rank. The other sequences reverse one or more levels.
90. Which substance commonly forms fungal cell walls?
[RRB Group D, 28 September 2018 Shift 1]
(A) Chitin
(B) Lignin
(C) Pectin
(D) Cellulose
Answer: (A) Chitin
Explanation: Chitin is a nitrogen-containing polysaccharide important in the walls of true fungi. Pectin, cellulose and lignin are common plant structural materials. Cell wall composition is therefore one classification clue.
89. Which plant group possesses specialised vessels for conducting water?
[RRB Group D, 28 September 2018 Shift 2]
(A) Fungi
(B) Angiosperms
(C) Bryophyta
(D) Thallophyta
Answer: (B) Angiosperms
Explanation: Angiosperms typically possess xylem vessels that transport water and minerals. Bryophytes lack true vascular tissue, and fungi do not have plant-style xylem. The question contrasts advanced vascular plants with simpler groups.
88. Which organism reproduces through spore formation?
[RRB Group D, 16 October 2018]
(A) Planaria
(B) Bryophyllum
(C) Hydra
(D) Rhizopus
Answer: (D) Rhizopus
Explanation: Rhizopus, a bread mould, produces spores in sporangia on specialised hyphae. Hydra buds, planarians may reproduce through fission and regeneration, while Bryophyllum can form plantlets on leaf margins.
87. Which statement on the traditional classification of plants is correct?
[UPSC NDA I, 22 April 2018, General Ability]
(A) Thallophytes possess fully differentiated plant bodies
(B) Funaria is a fungus
(C) All pteridophytes are phanerogams
(D) Bryophytes do not have a true vascular conducting system
Answer: (D) Bryophytes do not have a true vascular conducting system
Explanation: Bryophytes have no true xylem or phloem and therefore are nonvascular. Funaria is a moss, thallophytes lack differentiated organs, and pteridophytes reproduce by spores rather than seeds, so they are cryptogams.
86. Which of the following is a cnidarian?
[RRB Group D, 18 September 2018]
(A) Hydra
(B) Plasmodium
(C) Planaria
(D) Yeast
Answer: (A) Hydra
Explanation: Hydra is a freshwater cnidarian bearing stinging cnidocytes on its tentacles. Planaria is a flatworm, Plasmodium a parasitic protist, and yeast a fungus. Their distinct cellular organisation determines their kingdoms and phyla.
85. Organisms without a true membrane-bound nucleus belong chiefly to which kingdom?
[RRB Group D, 22 September 2018]
(A) Protista
(B) Fungi
(C) Monera
(D) Plantae
Answer: (C) Monera
Explanation: Kingdom Monera contains prokaryotes such as bacteria and cyanobacteria. Their genetic material is not enclosed by a nuclear membrane. The other choices contain organisms with eukaryotic cellular organisation.
