Question

In several fungi and plants, the bisexual condition is denoted by

• A. Homothallic and monoecious
• B. Heterothallic and monoecious
• C. Homothallic and dioecious
• D. Heterothallic and dioecious

Hint:

Associate "homo-" with "same" (self-fertile fungi) and "monoecious" with "one house" (both male and female flowers on same plant). Use the root meanings to avoid confusion.
Remember: homothallic = self-fertile fungus; monoecious = both flower sexes on one plant.
When asked "bisexual condition" think "both sexes in same individual" across taxa.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

"Bisexual condition" refers to the presence of both male and female reproductive units in the same individual. In fungi, \emph{homothallic} species contain both mating types (or are self-fertile) within a single thallus, allowing self-fertilization or sexual reproduction without a distinct opposite mating partner. In higher plants, \emph{monoecious} species bear both male and female flowers on the same individual (e.g., maize is monoecious). Thus, when an organism (or plant) has both sexual functions in the same body/individual, it is described as homothallic (in fungi) or monoecious (in plants) — both terms denote "both sexes on the same unit", so the paired expression "Homothallic and monoecious" correctly denotes bisexual condition.