In the archegonium of Dryopteris, the number of neck canal cells is/are

Options

A. 4
B. 2
C. 1
D. -10

Answer

To solve the question regarding the number of neck canal cells in the archegonium of Dryopteris, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understand the Structure of Archegonium**:
- The archegonium is a female reproductive structure in ferns like Dryopteris. It consists of a neck and a ventral region.

2. **Identify the Components**:
- The neck of the archegonium contains neck canal cells, which are crucial for the fertilization process. The ventral region contains ventral canal cells.

3. **Count the Neck Canal Cells**:
- In the archegonium of Dryopteris, there is typically **one neck canal cell**. This cell is elongated and can be seen in diagrams of the archegonium.

4. **Consider the Nuclei**:
- It is important to note that while there is one neck canal cell, it can contain **two nuclei**. However, the question specifically asks for the number of neck canal cells, not the number of nuclei.

5. **Select the Correct Answer**:
- Given the options (4, 2, 1, and -10), the correct answer is **1**. Therefore, the answer is option C.

### Final Answer:
The number of neck canal cells in the archegonium of Dryopteris is **1**.

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