Question

The genera which belongs to the family Characeae are:
A. Tolypella
B. Nitella
C. Nigella
D. Chara
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

• A. A, B and D only
• B. A, B and C only
• C. A, B, C and D
• D. B, C and D only

Hint:

Be careful with similar-sounding names in biology. {Nitella} (an alga) and {Nigella} (a flowering plant) are easily confused. Recalling that {Nigella sativa} is a spice can help you immediately identify it as a flowering plant and exclude it from an algal family.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The question asks to identify which of the given genera are members of the family Characeae. The Characeae are a family of green algae in the order Charales, commonly known as stoneworts.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let's analyze each genus listed:

A. {Tolypella:} This is a well-established genus within the family Characeae. It is closely related to {Chara} and {Nitella}.

B. {Nitella:} This is another prominent and widely distributed genus belonging to the family Characeae.

C. {Nigella:} This is a genus of flowering plants (angiosperms) belonging to the family Ranunculaceae (the buttercup family). A famous species is {Nigella sativa} (black cumin). It is not an alga and does not belong to Characeae.

D. {Chara:} This is the type genus for the family Characeae and the order Charales. It is one of the most common and well-studied stoneworts.

Step 3: Final Answer:
The genera {Tolypella}, {Nitella}, and {Chara} are all members of the family Characeae. The genus {Nigella} is a flowering plant. Therefore, the correct combination is A, B, and D.