BOARD OF INTERMEDIATE EDUCATION

Botany Paper 1
Model Question Paper (English Medium)
Time: 3 hrs

Max marks: 60
SECTION A

Answer all the questions (Very short answer type)

(10 x 2 = 20)

1. What is growth? What is the difference between the growth in living organisms
and growth in non-living objects?
2. What is the principle underlying the use of cyanobacteria in agriculture fields for
crop improvement?
3. Mention the Ploidy of the following
a) Leaf cell of a moss
b) PEN in a dicotyledon
c) Meristem cell of monocot
d) Gemma cell in Marchantia
4. Why certain fruits are called false fruits? Name two examples of plants having
false fruits?
5. What is the morphology of cup like structure in cyathium? In which family it is
found?
6. Explain the scope and significance of Numerical Taxonomy?
7. What are micro bodies? What do they contain?
8. Glycine and Alanine are different with respect to one substituent on the
carbon. What are the other common substituent groups?
9. Assume that the average duplication time of E.coli is 20 minutes. How much
time will two E.coli cells take to become 32 cells?
10. Climax stage is achieved quickly in secondary succession as compared to
primary succession. Why?
SECTION B
Answer any six questions (Short answer type)

(4 x 6 = 24)

11. Explain in brief the scope of Botany in relation to agriculture, horticulture and
medicine.
12. Give the salient features and importance of chrysophytes?
13. Give a brief account on the phases of the life cycle of an angiosperm plant?
14. Describe essential floral parts of plants belonging to Liliaceae?
15. Describe centrosome?
16. Though redundantly described as a resting phase, interphase does not really
involve rest. Comment.
17. A transverse section of the trunk of a tree shows concentric rings which are
known as annual rings. How are these rings formed? What is the significance of
these rings?
18. Define plant succession. Differentiate primary and secondary successions?
SECTION C
Answer any two questions (Long answer type)

(2 x 8 = 16)

19. Explain how stem is modified variously to perform different functions.

20. Describe the process of fertilization in angiosperms.
21. Describe the internal structure of dorsiventral leaf with the help of a labeled
diagram.

KEY TO THE MODEL QUESTION PAPER

SECTION A
Answer all the questions (Very short answer type)

(10 x 2 = 20)

1. What is growth? What is the difference between the growth in living organisms and
growth in non-living objects?
Increase in mass and size of an organism by means of cell division and
differentiation is called growth. Growth in living organisms is from inside (internal).
Whereas growth in non-living objects is external that is by accumulation of
material on the surface.
2. What is the principle underlying the use of cyanobacteria in agriculture fields for
crop improvement?
Cyanobacteria like Nostoc and Anabaena can fix atmospheric Nitrogen by
means of special cells called heterocysts. Hence they are used in agriculture
fields for crop improvement.
3. Mention the Ploidy of the following
a) Leaf cell of a moss
b) PEN in a dicotyledon
c) Meristem cell of monocot
d) Gemma cell in Marchantia
a)
b)
c)
d)

Leaf cell of a moss

PEN in a dicotyledon
Meristem cell of monocot
Gemma cell in Marchantia

- haploid (n)
- triploid (3n)
- diploid (2n)
- haploid (n)

4. Why certain fruits are called false fruits? Name two examples of plants having
false fruits?
Some fruits are formed from floral parts like thalamus and pedicel along with the
ovary. Such fruits are called false fruits.
Ex: Pyrus malus (apple thalamus)
Anacardium occidentalis ( cashew nut pedicel)
5. What is the morphology of cup like structure in cyathium? In which family it is
found?
Involucre of bracts forms the cup like structure in cyathium. It is seen in
Euphorbiaceae.
6. Explain the scope and significance of Numerical Taxonomy?
Scope of Numerical taxonomy:
It evaluates differences and similarities between taxonomic groups using
mathematical methods.
It uses computers and processes data by assigning numbers and codes to
all the characters.
Significance of Numerical taxonomy:
All characters are given equal importance.
Hundreds of characters are considered at the same time.
7. What are micro bodies? What do they contain?
Micro bodies are peroxisomes and glyoxysomes.
Peroxisomes contain enzymes of fattly acid catabolism, peroxidation, and photo
respiration.
Glyoxisomes contain enzymes of glyoxylate cycle.

8. Glycine and Alanine are different with respect to one substituent on the
carbon. What are the other common substituent groups?
Substituent groups of amino acid are:
H
- Hydrogen
COOH - Carboxyl group
NH2
- Amino group
R
- Variable group like Hydrogen, methyl group or hydroxymethyl group
9. Assume that the average duplication time of E.coli is 20 minutes. How much time
will two E.coli cells take to become 32 cells?
80 minutes.
(Explanation) 2 cells - 20 minutes = 4 cells
4 cells - 20 minutes = 8 cells
8 cells - 20 minutes = 16 cells
16 cells 20 minutes = 32 cells.
10. Climax stage is achieved quickly in secondary succession as compared to
primary succession. Why?
In primary succession formation of fertile soil takes several hundreds to thousands
of years. Hence it will take very long time for establishment of biotic communities
and climax stage is achieved at a slow pace.
Whereas secondary succession starts in an area where soil or sediment is already
present. Hence establishment of biotic communities is faster and climax stage is
achieved quickly.
SECTION B
Answer any six questions (Short answer type)

(4 x 6 = 24)

11. Explain in brief the scope of Botany in relation to agriculture, horticulture and
medicine.

Knowledge of botany lead to experiments in hybridization and genetic

engineering.
Knowledge of plant breeding helps to develop hybrid varieties of rice,
wheat, sugarcane etc.
Mineral nutrition, plant hormones, seed dormancy, plant pathology etc are
studied in botany and help in improving crops, and crop yields.
A knowledge of plant pathology helps in identification, prevention and
eradication of plant diseases.
Increasing the shelf-life of vegetables and leafy vegetables, artificial
ripening of fruits is possible with plant growth hormones.
Botany helps in development of industries like cotton, paper, pharmacy,
sugar etc.
Medicinal plants are used in human and animal healthcare.
Plant science is the basis for ayurvedic pharmacies.

12. Give the salient features and importance of chrysophytes?

Chrysophytes belong to the kingdom protista.
This group includes diatoms and golden algae (desmids).
They may be freshwater or marine, microscopic and photosynthetic.
The cell wall forms a shell with a epitheca and hypotheca made up of
silica.
Based on symmetry the diatoms may belong to centrales and pennales.
They reproduce asexually by binary fission and sexually by production of
auxospores.
Importance of chrysophytes:
They form diatomaceous earth (kiselguhr) used for polishing and
filtration of oils and syrups.
The diatoms are the chief producers in the seas and oceans.

13. Give a brief account on the phases of the life cycle of an angiosperm plant?
Angiosperm lifecycle includes a dominant diploid sporophytic phase and a
haploid gametophytic phase.
Sporophytic phase: It is the diploid dominant phase in the life cycle. This
plant body bears flowers which produce the male sex organs, stamens and
female sex organs carpels or pistil. Microspores (pollen grains) are
produced by meiosis in the anthers of androecium and Megaspores are
produced in the ovule of the gynoecium.
Gametophytic phase: The microspore develops into a male gametophyte
which produces two male gametes. Megaspore develops into female
gametophyte and produces egg cell (female gamete). During fertilization
the male gamete and female gamete fuse to form a diploid zygote which
develops into a embryo in the seed. Zygote is the first cell of sporophyte.
During seed germination the embryo develops into a sporophytic plant.
14. Describe essential floral parts of plants belonging to Liliaceae?
Androecium and gynoecium are considered as the essential parts of a flower. The
essential floral parts of Liliaceae show the following characters:
Androecium: There are six stamens in two whorls of 3 each. (3 + 3). They
may be free or epiphyllous (attached to tepals). Anthers are dithecous,
basifixed, introrse with longitudinal dehiscence.
Gynoecium: Tricarpellary syncarpous gynoecium with trilocular superior
ovary. Many ovules on axile placentation. Terminal style, stigma trifid or
capitate.
15. Describe centrosome?
Centrosome is the cell organelles usually found in animal cells.
It contains two cylindricial structures called centrioles.
Each centriole has a cartwheel like organization with nine fibrils made of
tubulin.
Each peripheral fibril is a triplet. The central part of the centriole is called
hub and connected to peripheral triplets by radial spokes.
The centrioles form the basal body of cilia, flagella and spindle fibres that
give rise to spindle apparatus during cell division in animal cells.
(figure on page 166 of Jr. botany text book)
16. Though redundantly described as a resting phase, interphase does not really
involve rest. Comment.
Interphase is not a resting phase but a preparatory phase for cell division because:
During this phase the cell prepares for division by undergoing both cell
growth and DNA replication.
It includes three phases:
G1 Phase (Gap 1)
S phase (Synthesis)
G2 Phase (Gap 2 )
During G1 phase the cell grows continuously.
During S phase DNA synthesis or replication takes place (2C becomes 4C)
During G2 phase proteins are synthesized and cell growth continues.
The cell enters divisional phase only when it has completed all these phases
of interphase. Hence interphase is not a resting phase but a preparatory
phase.
17. A transverse section of the trunk of a tree shows concentric rings which are known
as annual rings. How are these rings formed? What is the significance of these
rings?
In temperate regions more leaves and flowers are formed during spring and plant
requires large amount of water and mineral salts. Hence the wood (Xylem vessels)
formed during spring shows morenhumber of xylem vessels with wide lumens. This
is called spring wood or early wood. During autumn the plants are less active
and do not require more water and salts. Hence the wood produced during this

period shows less number of xylem vessels having narrow lumens. This is known as
autumn wood or late wood. In this way two types of wood are produced in one
year. These two kinds of wood, spring wood and autumn wood that appear as
concentric rings form an annual ring or a growth ring.
Significance: By counting the number of annual rings, the approximate age of
trees can be estimated. This branch of science is known as dendrochronology.
18. Define plant succession. Differentiate primary and secondary successions?
The gradual changes in composition of plant species of a given area is called
plant succession. Plant succession occurs in response to the changing
environmental conditions. In plant succession there is an increase in number of
species and increase in total biomass in an area.
Primary succession
It occurs in a bare area like newly
cooled area, bare rock, newly
created pond or reservoir.
The establishment of new biotic
communities is slow.
It takes hundreds to thousands of
years to produce fertile soil, hence
succession is slow.
It takes very long time to establish a
climax community.

Secondary succession
It occurs in areas where natural biotic
communities are destroyed or abandoned farm
lands, burned or cut forest lands, flooded lands
etc.
Establishment of new communities is faster.
Since some soil or sediment is already present,
succession is faster.
Climax community is achieved at a quicker
pace.

SECTION C
ANSWER ANY TWO QUESTIONS (LONG ANSWER TYPE)

(2 x 8 = 16)

19. Explain how stem is modified variously to perform different functions.

In some plants stems are modified to perform functions like storage of good,
vegetative propagation, giving mechanical support and protection. The
modifications of stems may be summed up into three categories:
Underground stem modifications
Aerial stem modifications
Sub-aerial stem modifications
1) Underground stem modifications: In some plants the stem grows
into the soil and undergoes modification to perform additional
functions like storage of food, perennation, vegetative propagation
and protection from grazing animals. Some of the underground
stem modifications are:
a) Stem tuber: Ex: Potato
b) Rhizome: Ex: Zinziber
c) Corm: Ex; Colocasia
d) Bulb: Ex: Onion
2) Aerial stem modifications: In some plants the stem is above ground
(aerial) and may perform additional functions like climbing,
protection, photosynthesis, storage and vegetative propagation.
Some of the aerial stem modifications are:
a) Stem tendrils: They are slender, spirally coiled structures which
help in climbing. Ex: water melon
b) Thorns: They are sharp pointed structures that help in
protection. Ex: Bougainvillea.
c) Phylloclades: They are photosynthetic stems in some
xerophytic plants. Ex: Opuntia
d) Bulbils: They are vegetative buds or floral buds that store food
and help in vegetative propagation. Ex: Dioscorea
3) Sub-aerial stem modifications:
a) Runners: Ex: Oxalis
b) Stolons: Ex: Nerium

c) Offsets: Ex: Pistia

d) Suckers: Ex: Chrysanthemum
(note: diagrams carry marks)
20. Describe the process of fertilization in angiosperms.
In angiosperms process of fertilization follows pollination. The important events
during the process of fertilization are as follows:
After pollination the pollen tube enters the ovule and then into the
embryosac with two male gametes in it.
The pollen tube bursts and releases the two male gametes into the
synergids.
One of the male gametes fuses with the egg cell to form a diploid zygote.
This process of fusion between a male gamete and the female egg cell is
called syngamy or fertilization.
The second male gamete fuses with the diploid secondary nucleus in the
central cell to form a triploid primary endosperm nucleus (PEN). This fusion
of three nuclei ( one male and two polar nuclei) is called triple fusion.
As fertilization occurs twice, i.e syngamy and triple fusion it is called double
fertilization.
Later the diploid zygote develops into an embryo and PEN (primary
endosperm nucleus) becomes PEC (primary endosperm cell) which gives
rise to triploid tissue called endosperm.
(note: diagrams carry marks)
21. Describe the internal structure of dorsiventral leaf with the help of a labeled
diagram.
The transverse section of a dorsiventral leaf shows three main parts:
Epidermis
Mesophyll and
Vascular system
A. Epidermis: The epidermis is differentiated into upper epidermis
(adaxial) and lower epidermis (abaxial). It is protected by a cuticle.
More number of stomata are found on lower epidermis.
B. Mesophyll: It is the tissue between the upper and the lower
epidermis. It is photosynthetic in function. It is differentiated into
palisade parenchyma and spongy parenchyma.
I.
Palisade parenchyma: It is made up of elongated cells
parallel to each other. It is present below the upper
epidermis.
II.
Spongy parenchyma: It is present between palisade cells and
lower epidermis. The cells are oval or round and loosely
arranged with large air cavities.
C. Vascular system: It includes vascular bundles which are seen in
veins and midrib. Each vascular bundle is surrounded by a layer of
thick walled bundle sheath cells. The vascular tissues xylem and
phloem are present in the vascular bundle.
Note: see page 214 of academy text book for diagram.