Answer: Naked seed.
- A Covered seed
- B Naked seed
- C Large seed
- D Many seeds
Correct answer: B. Naked seed
Explanation: Gymnosperm = Greek 'gymnos' (naked) + 'sperma' (seed). This refers to the exposed seeds not enclosed in a fruit, unlike angiosperms (angio = vessel/covered).
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.