Among plants known as legumes (beans, peas, alfalfa, clover, etc.)the seeds are contained in a fruit that is itself called a legume, better known as a pod. Upon opening such pods, it is commonly observed that some ovules have become mature seeds, whereas other ovules have not. Thus, which of the following statements is (are)true?
1)The flowers that gave rise to such pods were not pollinated.
2)Pollen tubes did not enter all of the ovules in such pods.
3)There was apparently not enough endosperm to distribute to all of the ovules in such pods.
4)The ovules that failed to develop into seeds were derived from sterile floral parts.
5)Fruit can develop, even if all ovules within have not been fertilized.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Option 1 is not necessarily true because fruit can develop despite the lack of fertilization in some ovules. Option 2 is true since the failure of some ovules to mature indicates that they were not fertilized by pollen tubes. Option 3 is not correct because the ovules need not be fertilized to develop into seeds, and insufficient endosperm can lead to poorly developed or small seeds. Option 4 is not correct because the sterile floral parts do not produce ovules. Option 5 is true, as fruit development can occur even if some ovules did not fertilize to produce viable seeds.

Among Plants Known as Legumes (Beans, Peas, Alfalfa, Clover, Etc