Step 1 - Why Eucalyptus is an angiosperm
It is a flowering plant that produces true flowers and bears its seeds ENCLOSED within a FRUIT (a woody capsule), developed from the ovary.
These are exactly the characters that define the ANGIOSPERMS.
Step 2 - A notable record
Eucalyptus is the TALLEST ANGIOSPERM in the world, reaching over 100 metres.
(Compare: Sequoia, a gymnosperm, is the tallest tree overall.)
Step 3 - About Eucalyptus
- Family: Myrtaceae
- Native to Australia; widely planted in India
- Commonly called the gum tree or safeda
- Its leaves yield EUCALYPTUS OIL, used in medicine (for colds and congestion), perfumes and antiseptics
- Grown for timber, fuel and paper pulp
- It is a fast-growing tree, but it lowers the water table, so it is controversial in dry regions
Step 4 - Key features of angiosperms
| Feature | Angiosperm |
|---|
| Flowers | Present |
| Seeds | Enclosed in a FRUIT |
| Double fertilisation | PRESENT |
| Endosperm | TRIPLOID (3n) |
| Xylem | Vessels present |
| Phloem | Companion cells present |
Step 5 - The two classes of angiosperms
Dicotyledons (2 cotyledons) and Monocotyledons (1 cotyledon)
Answer: (a) Angiosperm
