Answer: Fucoxanthin.
- A Chlorophyll b
- B Phycoerythrin
- C Fucoxanthin
- D Phycocyanin
Correct answer: C. Fucoxanthin
Explanation: Fucoxanthin, a brown carotenoid pigment, masks the chlorophyll and gives Phaeophyceae their brown colour.
Plants evolved from water-dependent algae through increasingly land-adapted groups, gaining vascular tissue (Pteridophyta), then seeds (Gymnosperms), and finally fruit-enclosed seeds (Angiosperms) - each step reducing dependence on water for reproduction.
Concept context
Classification of plants from algae to angiosperms. Understanding plant diversity is essential for NEET.