Botany and Plant Science

Fabaceae or Papilionaceae is a large and economically important family of flowering plants. It includes trees, annual or perennial herbaceous plants and shrubs. In Papilionaceae, the petals are 5 - outermost posterior petal is large which is known as the vexillum or standard, two lateral petals are known as the wings or alae, and the two anterior and innermost petals are united to form a boat-shaped structure known as the keel or carina. Hence, the correct arrangement of the corolla is 1+2+(2).

The lens (strophiole) is a specialized structure found in Fabaceae (legume) seeds, appearing as a lens-shaped thickening near the hilum. It plays a crucial role in water absorption during germination. This characteristic is specific to legumes and is not found in Asteraceae, Malvaceae, or Solanaceae seeds. Note that 'Solanaeae' is a typo for 'Solanaceae'.

Characteristic features of the family Fabaceae are -
1. Leaves are usually alternate and compound.
2. The flowers are zygomorphic and in general, have five fused sepals.
3. The petals are also five free.
4. The presence of having a short usually cup-shaped hypanthium.
5. Stamens ten in number, superior ovary and curved style.
6. Placentation marginal.
Flowers of Fabaceae do not show actinomorphic nature, twisted aestivation and gamopetaly. Thus, the correct answer is option B.

Fabaceae is known as Leguminosae or bean and pea family. This single monophyletic family has three sub-families such as Mimosoideae, Caesalpinioideae and Papilionoideae.
While the family is characterized by presence of five sepals, zygomorphic flower, gamesepelous and has an imbricate aestivation, the placentation is marginal with one elongated placenta on one side of the ovary (superior) and ovules attached at the fusion of the carpel's margins and not axile ( where the ovary is sectioned by radial spokes with placentas in separate locules).
Therefore, the correct answer is option B.

Papilionaceous corolla is characterised with butterfly-shape because the petals are of different sizes and they show descending pattern of imbrication. The largest posterior petal is called vexillum and it overlaps the lateral petals called wings. The wings overlap the innermost fused petals called keel or carina. It is a characteristic of the family Fabaceae.

Fabaceae or Leguminosae, commonly known as the legume, pea and bean family are a large and economically important family of flowering plants. It includes trees, herbs, shrubs and rarely woody climbers. Leaves are usually pinnately compound with a pulvinate base, flowers are zygomorphic, Corolla is papilionaceous, posterior petal innermost, sepals free, odd sepal is anterior. Hence, odd sepal is characteristic in family Fabaceae.

Corolla is the second axillary whorl composed of petals. Like calyx, corolla also protects essential stamens and carpels within. Papilionaceous corolla has five free petals resembling a butterfly. The posterior superior petal is larger than the others (vexillum or standard), two anterior inferior petals which are usually more or less united forming a boat-shaped structure (carina or keel), two lateral petals called wings which overlap the carina and are themselves overlapped with the vexillum. This is a characteristic of subfamily Papilionaceae (eg: pea flower) belonging to family Fabaceae.

Fertilization occurs when one of the sperm cells fuses with the egg inside of an ovule. After fertilization occurs, each ovule develops into a seed. Each seed contains a tiny, undeveloped plant called an embryo. The ovary surrounding the ovules develops into a fruit that contains one or more seeds.

The haploid sperm and haploid egg combine to form a diploid zygote, while the other sperm and the two haploid polar nuclei of the large central cell of the megagametophyte form a triploid nucleus. It will later develop into the endosperm, nutrient tissue which provides nourishment to the developing embryo.

Lactobacillus promotes curdling of milk by creating an acidic environment. A vaccine is a biological preparation that provides active acquired immunity to a particular disease. It is made from weakened or killed forms of the microbe, its toxins or one of its surface proteins. Human malaria is transmitted only by females of the genus Anopheles. Dengue is spread through the bite of the female mosquito (Aedes aegypti). Kharif crops are those crops which are grown in monsoon season from the month of June to September. They need more water than rabi crops for their growth and development. Broadcasting is the method of random scattering of seeds on the surface of the seedbed. It can be done manually or mechanically.

Pollination is the process of transferring pollen from the male anther to the female stigma of a flower, which is necessary for fertilization and fruit production.

Fruit Thinning is the process of thinning out excess fruit from a fruit tree to improve the quality and size of the remaining fruit.

Meristematic tissues are responsible for plant growth and development. Apical meristems are located at the tips of stems and roots, lateral meristems are located along the sides of stems and roots, and intercalary meristems are located at the bases of leaves and internodes.

Vascular tissues are responsible for transporting water and nutrients throughout the plant. Xylem transports water from the roots to the leaves, and phloem transports nutrients from the leaves to the rest of the plant.

Plant organs are structures that perform specific functions for the plant. Roots absorb water and nutrients from the soil, stems transport water and nutrients throughout the plant, and leaves photosynthesize and produce food for the plant.