Given below are two statements: One is labelled as Assertion A and the other is labelled as Reason R : Assertion A : In gymnosperms the pollen grains are released from the microsporangium and carried by air currents. Reason R: Air currents carry the pollen grains to the mouth of the archegonia where the male gametes are discharged and pollen tube is not formed. In the light of the above statements, choose the correct

Step-by-step solution

Unlike lower groups like bryophytes and pteridophytes, in Gymnosperms the male and the female gametophytes do not have an independent free-living existence. They remain within the sporangia retained on the sporophytes. The pollen grain is released from the microsporangium. They are carried in air currents (anemophily) and come in contact with the opening of the ovules borne on megasporophylls. The pollen tube carrying the male gametes grow towards archegonia in the ovules and discharge their contents near the mouth