Q.From the statements given below choose the option that are true for a typical female gametophyte of a flowering plant:

The mature female gametophyte (embryo sac) in a flowering plant follows a characteristic developmental pattern described in NCERT. During its formation, the megaspore undergoes three successive mitotic divisions without cytokinesis, producing eight free nuclei in a common cytoplasm—this free-nuclear stage is statement (ii) and is correct. Cell walls then form, organizing the structure into seven cells: three at the micropylar end (two synergids and one egg forming the egg apparatus), three antipodal cells at the chalazal end, and one large central cell containing two polar nuclei. This gives the 8-nucleate, 7-celled organization of statement (i), which is also correct. …

The female gametophyte in angiosperms, commonly called the embryo sac, develops through a fascinating process that transforms a single megaspore into a highly organized structure ready for fertilization. Understanding its development and final architecture is essential to grasp how sexual reproduction unfolds in flowering plants.

The journey begins with a functional megaspore that undergoes three successive mitotic divisions without accompanying cytokinesis. This means the nucleus divides, but the cell itself does not partition into separate compartments—a phase described as free-nuclear development. Statement (ii) captures this perfectly: during its early stages, the embryo sac exists as a single large cell with multiple nuclei floating freely in a common cytoplasm. Only later do cell walls form to organize these nuclei into distinct cells.

By maturity, the typical embryo sac follows what botanists call the Polygonum type (named after the genus where it was first described in detail). It contains eight nuclei, but these are not all separated into individual cells. Instead, cell walls partition the structure into seven cells: three cells form the egg apparatus at one end (one egg cell flanked by two synergids), three antipodal cells occupy the opposite end, and a large central cell houses two polar nuclei. Statement (i) is therefore accurate—8-nucleate and 7-celled is the hallmark of a mature female gametophyte.

Now, where does this embryo sac actually sit? The ovule has layers: the outermost protective integuments wrap around the nucellus, which is the tissue mass inside. The embryo sac develops within the nucellus itself, carving out space as the nucellar tissue gets consumed during its growth. Statement (iii) claims it lies inside the integument but outside the nucellus—this reverses the actual arrangement and is incorrect. …