How many shoot apical meristems are likely to be present in a twig of a plant possessing, 4 branches and 26 leaves

Options

A. 26
B. 1
C. 5
D. 30

Explanation

To determine how many shoot apical meristems are likely to be present in a twig of a plant with 4 branches and 26 leaves, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understand the Types of Meristems**:
- There are three types of meristems: apical, intercalary, and lateral. The question specifically asks about shoot apical meristems.

2. **Identify the Location of Apical Meristems**:
- Apical meristems are located at the tips (apices) of the shoots and branches of the plant.

3. **Count the Branches**:
- The question states that the plant has 4 branches. Each branch will have its own shoot apical meristem at its apex.

4. **Determine the Number of Apical Meristems**:
- Since there are 4 branches, there will be 1 shoot apical meristem at the apex of each branch. Therefore, the number of shoot apical meristems is equal to the number of branches.

5. **Conclusion**:
- The total number of shoot apical meristems in the twig is 4 (one for each branch). The leaves mentioned in the question do not affect the count of shoot apical meristems.

### Final Answer:
There are 4 shoot apical meristems present in the twig of the given plant.

---