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Equisetum is a vascular cryptogam. Equisetum is the only living genus in the Equisetaceae, a family of vascular plants that reproduce by spores rather than seeds. They are commonly known as horse tails.

1. Equisetum is a “living fossil,” as it is the only known genus of the entire class Equisetopsida.
2. The important features distinguishing Gnetum from Cycas and Pinus and showing affinities with angiosperms are presence of vessel elements and absence of archegonia.
3. The male gametes of bryophytes are biflagellate and those of pteridophytes are multiflagellate, except Selaginella having biflagellate gametes. The male gametes of gymnosperms are non-motile except those of Cycas having multiciliate gametes.
4. In gymnosperms, the pollen chamber represents a cavity in the ovule in which pollen grains are stored after pollination within the pollen chamber, the generative cell nucleus divides to form two genetic nuclei and the tube cells elongates results in the formation of pollen tube, the pollen tube penetrates the female gametophyte and the sperm nuclei and then it pass through the tube. So, one of the sperm nuclei get fused with the egg results in the formation of zygote (diploid).

Correct answer: Equisetum is a “living fossil,” as it is the only known genus of the entire class Equisetopsida.

Solution

Equisetum is often called a living fossil because it is the only extant genus in the class Equisetopsida, representing a very ancient lineage. The other options discuss unrelated plant groups or contain mixed, inaccurate reproductive details.

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