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 Concept of Apical Meristem**:
- Apical meristems are regions of actively dividing cells located at the tips of roots and shoots. They are responsible for the growth in length of the plant.

2. **Identify the Number of Branches**:
- The problem states that the plant has 4 branches. Each branch will have its own apical meristem at its tip.

3. **Calculate Apical Meristems from Branches**:
- Since there are 4 branches, this means there are 4 apical meristems, one for each branch.

4. **Consider the Main Plant Axis**:
- In addition to the apical meristems on the branches, there is also an apical meristem located at the tip of the main plant axis (the main stem of the plant).

5. **Total the Apical Meristems**:
- Therefore, the total number of shoot apical meristems is the number from the branches (4) plus the one from the main plant axis (1).
- Total = 4 (from branches) + 1 (from main axis) = 5.

### Final Answer:
- The total number of shoot apical meristems in the twig of the plant is **5**.

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