Read the following statements regarding the development of a flower from a vegetative shoot: (A) The shoot apical meristem transforms into the floral meristem. (B) The internodes of the floral axis elongate significantly to accommodate the various floral whorls. (C) Floral appendages are produced laterally at successive nodes instead of leaves. (D) Morphologically, the floral appendages are considered modified latera

Step-by-step solution

Statement (A) is correct as a flower is a modified shoot where the shoot apical meristem changes into a floral meristem. Statement (B) is incorrect because during floral induction, the internodes do not elongate; instead, the axis gets condensed. Statement (C) is correct as the condensed apex produces different kinds of floral appendages laterally at successive nodes instead of leaves. Statement (D) is incorrect because floral appendages are morphologically considered modified leaves, not modified lateral branches.