If a leaf cell of gymnosperm plant had 24 chromosomes, then its endosperm cell would contain

Options

A. 24 chromosomes
B. 36 chromosomes
C. 12 chromosomes
D. 48 chromosomes

Answer

To solve the question regarding the number of chromosomes in the endosperm cell of a gymnosperm plant when a leaf cell has 24 chromosomes, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Identify the Chromosome Number in Leaf Cells:**
- The question states that a leaf cell of a gymnosperm plant has 24 chromosomes. This means that the leaf cell is diploid (2n), where n represents the haploid number of chromosomes.

2. **Determine the Haploid Number:**
- Since the leaf cell is diploid (2n = 24), we can find the haploid number (n) by dividing the diploid number by 2:
\[ n = \frac{2n}{2} = \frac{24}{2} = 12 \]
- Therefore, the haploid number of chromosomes in the gametes (male and female) is 12.

3. **Understand the Formation of Endosperm:**
- In gymnosperms, the endosperm is formed from the female gametophyte, which is haploid. Unlike angiosperms, where the endosperm is triploid (3n), gymnosperms have a haploid endosperm.
- Thus, the endosperm will also have the same haploid number as the gametes.

4. **Conclusion:**
- Since the haploid number (n) is 12, the endosperm cell in a gymnosperm will also contain 12 chromosomes.

### Final Answer:
The endosperm cell of the gymnosperm plant would contain **12 chromosomes**.

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