An apricot tree that is not in flower and has no fruit is an example of which of the following? Group of answer choices
zygote
gametophyte
sporophyte
spore
gamete
The correct answer and explanation is:
Correct Answer: sporophyte
🌳 Explanation (Approx. 300 Words):
An apricot tree that is not in flower and has no fruit is in the sporophyte stage of its life cycle.
In plants, there are two main stages in the life cycle known as alternation of generations:
- Sporophyte stage (diploid, 2n):
This is the dominant stage in most land plants, especially in angiosperms (flowering plants like apricots). The sporophyte is the diploid generation that grows from a fertilized egg (zygote). It produces spores via meiosis, which then grow into the gametophyte stage. - Gametophyte stage (haploid, n):
This stage produces gametes (sperm and egg) by mitosis. In flowering plants, the gametophyte is very small and lives inside the flower structures (e.g., pollen and ovules).
🔍 Why the Apricot Tree is a Sporophyte:
- The tree is mature, has roots, stems, and leaves, which are all characteristics of the sporophyte stage.
- Even though it is not flowering or fruiting, it is still diploid and capable of producing reproductive structures when conditions are right.
- The gametophyte stage in apricots is microscopic and occurs inside the reproductive organs (flowers), which this tree currently lacks.
- The tree itself grew from a zygote (fertilized egg) and will eventually produce spores (via gametes) during flowering.
❌ Why the Other Options Are Incorrect:
- Zygote: A single diploid cell formed from fertilization, not a whole tree.
- Gametophyte: The haploid stage that produces gametes, found inside pollen or ovules, not the whole tree.
- Spore: A microscopic reproductive cell, not the tree itself.
- Gamete: Sperm or egg cells, microscopic and haploid—not a tree.
âś… Summary:
An apricot tree, whether flowering or not, is part of the sporophyte generation, the diploid and dominant stage in the life cycle of flowering plants.