Which of the following statements about pteridophytes are correct?
Statements:
- They include horsetails and ferns.
- Pteridophytes are used for medicinal purposes and as soil-binders.
- They are very advanced type of plants on earth, which evolved very recently.
- Evolutionarily, they are the first terrestrial plants to possess vascular tissues – xylem and phloem.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
The correct answer is option 1 i.e. Only A, B and D.
Pteridophytes, which include ferns and horsetails, are among the earliest vascular plants on Earth. They were the first terrestrial plants to develop specialized vascular tissues—xylem and phloem—for efficient transport of water and nutrients. These plants reproduce via spores and do not produce seeds or flowers. Pteridophytes play a significant ecological role; they are used as soil-binders to prevent erosion and have applications in traditional medicine. While they are more advanced than bryophytes, they are not recently evolved but rather ancient in origin. Therefore, only statements A, B, and D about pteridophytes are correct, while statement C is incorrect.