In Pinus, a gymnosperm, rooting cells have 16 chromosomes. How many chromosomes are present in its endosperm?

Options

A. 8
B. 32
C. 48
D. 16

Answer

To solve the question regarding the number of chromosomes present in the endosperm of Pinus, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Identify the Chromosome Count in Rooting Cells**:
- The question states that the rooting cells of Pinus have 16 chromosomes.
- This indicates that these cells are diploid (2N), meaning they contain two sets of chromosomes.

2. **Understand the Nature of Endosperm**:
- In gymnosperms like Pinus, the endosperm is derived from the female gametophyte.
- The endosperm is haploid (N), which means it contains only one set of chromosomes.

3. **Determine the Relationship Between Diploid and Haploid**:
- Since the rooting cells are diploid with 16 chromosomes (2N = 16), we can find the haploid number by dividing the diploid number by 2.
- Therefore, the haploid number (N) is calculated as follows:
\[ N = \frac{2N}{2} = \frac{16}{2} = 8 \]

4. **Conclusion**:
- The number of chromosomes present in the endosperm of Pinus is 8.

### Final Answer:
The endosperm of Pinus has **8 chromosomes**.

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