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Diversity in Living World NEET 2013: Three Correct Statements

NEET 2013 Biology Diversity in Living World Bryophytes, Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms and Reproduction

By Founder, JEEnius - IIT Kanpur Alumni · Aug 28, 2026 · 4 min read

Hard 2 min target

Read the following statements (A-E) and answer the question which follows them.

(A) In liverworts, mosses, and ferns gametophytes are free-living

(B) Gymnosperms and some ferns are heterosperms

(C) Sexual reproduction in Fucus, Volvox and Albugo is oogamous

(D) The sporophyte in liverworts is more elaborate than that in mosses

(E) Both Pinus and Marchantia are dioecious

How many of the above statements are correct?

Show answerAnswer

B) Three

Explanation

Statement (A) is correct. In liverworts, mosses and ferns, the gametophyte stage is free-living.

Statement (B) is correct. Gymnosperms are heterosporous, and some ferns such as Salvinia are also heterosporous.

Statement (C) is correct. Fucus, Volvox and Albugo show oogamous sexual reproduction, where the female gamete is large and non-motile and the male gamete is smaller and motile.

Statement (D) is incorrect. The sporophyte in mosses is more elaborate than that in liverworts, not the reverse.

Statement (E) is incorrect. Marchantia is dioecious, but Pinus is generally monoecious because male and female cones are borne on the same plant.

So, the correct statements are A, B and C. Therefore, three statements are correct.

Watch the full solution, worked step by step.

What five statements were tested in the NEET 2013 Diversity in Living World question?

Three statements are correct. The question tested these five claims: gametophytes are independent in liverworts, mosses and ferns; gymnosperms and certain ferns such as Salvinia show heterospory; Fucus, Volvox and Albugo exhibit oogamous reproduction; the sporophyte is more elaborate in liverworts than in mosses; both Pinus and Marchantia are dioecious.

Students who have revised NCERT life cycles still mix details such as sporophyte elaboration in liverworts versus mosses and the monoecious versus dioecious nature of Pinus and Marchantia. The question required checking each fact against the precise NCERT wording rather than a general memory of the chapter.

How do you evaluate each statement from the NEET 2013 Diversity in Living World question?

Three statements match the official NEET 2013 evaluation. Gametophytes are independent in liverworts, mosses and ferns because these groups produce gametophytes that live separately from the sporophyte.

Gymnosperms and Salvinia-type ferns are heterosporous because they produce two different spore sizes. Oogamy in Fucus, Volvox and Albugo is correct because it involves a large non-motile female gamete and a small motile male gamete in all three organisms.

The claim that the sporophyte in liverworts is more elaborate than in mosses is incorrect because the moss sporophyte is more elaborate than the liverwort sporophyte. Moss sporophytes possess foot, seta and capsule with complex structures while liverwort sporophytes remain simpler.

The claim that both Pinus and Marchantia are dioecious is incorrect. Marchantia is dioecious with separate male and female plants, but Pinus bears both male and female cones on the same plant and is therefore monoecious. Exactly three statements are correct.

What common reasoning error leads to the wrong answer in the NEET 2013 Diversity in Living World question?

The common reasoning error is reversing the sporophyte complexity comparison between mosses and liverworts. Assuming the liverwort sporophyte is more elaborate than the moss sporophyte leads to marking that statement as correct and inflating the total to four.

This produces the wrong choice. Recall the exact NCERT sentence that states moss sporophytes are more elaborate with distinct foot, seta and capsule while liverwort sporophytes stay rudimentary. Vague memory of which is more developed creates the trap.

What life cycle facts from bryophytes, pteridophytes and gymnosperms should you remember?

Free-living gametophytes occur in bryophytes and pteridophytes while seed plants have gametophytes dependent on the sporophyte. This distinction separates the groups in statement questions.

Heterospory means production of two spore types, microspores and megaspores. It appears in all gymnosperms and in specific pteridophytes such as Salvinia.

Oogamy features a large non-motile female gamete and smaller motile male gamete. It is seen in Fucus, Volvox and Albugo.

Pinus is monoecious because it bears both cones on one plant. Marchantia is dioecious with distinct male and female thalli. These exact contrasts let you evaluate any similar five-statement question in under 90 seconds.

Which two practice questions on bryophytes, pteridophytes and reproduction will strengthen your preparation?

Question 1: Which pteridophytes exhibit heterospory?

  • Selaginella and Salvinia
  • Equisetum and Pteris
  • Lycopodium and Adiantum
  • Marsilea and Azolla only

Correct answer: Selaginella and Salvinia. These produce two spore sizes leading to distinct male and female gametophytes, matching the heterospory definition used in the 2013 paper.

Question 2: Which organisms show oogamous sexual reproduction?

  • Fucus, Volvox and Albugo
  • Spirogyra, Rhizopus and Ulothrix
  • Mucor, Saccharomyces and Chlamydomonas
  • All of the above

Correct answer: Fucus, Volvox and Albugo. Each produces a large non-motile egg and small motile sperm, the precise definition of oogamy tested in NEET.

If you get stuck on these or any similar unsolved PYQ, use the photograph a doubt feature for a step-by-step solution across Botany topics.

How should you solve statement evaluation questions on Diversity in Living World in NEET?

Read each statement against the exact NCERT line rather than an overall chapter idea. This habit eliminates one-word traps that flip correctness.

Target 90 seconds for any five-statement Botany question in the 2025 pattern. That leaves enough time for the remaining 89 Biology questions.

Cross-check precise terms every time: heterosporous rather than any similar word, and dioecious versus monoecious. Write the definitions once on your revision sheet so the distinctions stay sharp under exam pressure.

Where can you find more solved questions from Diversity in Living World for NEET?

Search the past-paper archive by year, subject or chapter to access every Diversity in Living World question with its worked solution.

After finishing this topic, continue with the next chapter using our Anatomy of Flowering Plants Practice Questions for NEET.

Frequently asked questions

Which statements are correct in Diversity in Living World NEET 2013?

The three correct statements are: gametophytes are independent in liverworts, mosses and ferns; gymnosperms and Salvinia show heterospory; Fucus, Volvox and Albugo exhibit oogamous reproduction. The claims on sporophyte elaboration in liverworts and both Pinus and Marchantia being dioecious are wrong.

Is the sporophyte more elaborate in liverworts than in mosses?

No. The sporophyte is more elaborate in mosses than in liverworts. Moss sporophytes possess a distinct foot, seta and capsule with complex structures while liverwort sporophytes are simpler and rudimentary as stated in NCERT.

Is Pinus dioecious or monoecious in NEET syllabus?

Pinus is monoecious because both male and female cones occur on the same plant. Marchantia is dioecious with separate male and female thalli. This exact contrast was tested in the 2013 question.

Which organisms show heterospory according to NEET 2013?

Gymnosperms and certain pteridophytes such as Salvinia show heterospory. They produce two different spore sizes leading to male and female gametophytes. This was one of the three correct statements in the paper.

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