Anatomy of Roots — NEET Biology MCQs with Solutions
Free NEET Biology Anatomy of Roots MCQs with step-by-step solutions (49 questions). Part of Anatomy of Flowering Plants. Practise online on Prepizo — no login needed.
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Questions with solutions
Q1 — Anatomy of Roots · easy · theory
The number of xylem bundles ("arches") helps identify roots. A dicot root is typically:
A. Without xylem
B. Tetrarch to hexarch (2–6 xylem bundles) ✓ Correct
C. Polyarch (many)
D. Monarch always
Solution: Dicot roots have limited (2–6) xylem bundles; monocot roots are polyarch (many, often >6).
Q2 — Anatomy of Roots · easy · theory
The innermost layer of the cortex with a Casparian strip, regulating water entry to the stele, is the:
A. Endodermis ✓ Correct
B. Epidermis
C. Pith
D. Pericycle
Solution: The endodermis with Casparian strips controls the radial flow of water into the vascular cylinder.
Q3 — Anatomy of Roots · medium · theory
Lateral roots and, in dicots, the vascular cambium arise from the:
A. Cortex
B. Pericycle ✓ Correct
C. Endodermis
D. Pith
Solution: The pericycle (just inside the endodermis) gives rise to lateral roots and part of the vascular cambium.
Q4 — Anatomy of Roots · medium · theory
A monocot root differs from a dicot root in having:
A. Tetrarch xylem and no pith
B. Xylem in a ring
C. Cambium producing wood
D. Polyarch xylem and a large, well-developed pith; no secondary growth ✓ Correct
Solution: Monocot roots are polyarch with a large pith and (usually) no secondary growth; dicot roots have few xylem bundles and little/no pith.
Q5 — Anatomy of Roots · hard · theory
In a dicot root, the xylem is ______ (protoxylem toward periphery), which is described as:
A. Centrarch
B. Endarch
C. Exarch ✓ Correct
D. Mesarch
Solution: Roots have exarch xylem (protoxylem outer, metaxylem inner); stems have endarch xylem — a key distinction.
Q6 — Anatomy of Roots · hard · theory
Which anatomical feature is COMMON to both dicot and monocot roots?
A. Endarch xylem
B. Vascular cambium producing secondary xylem
C. Conjoint collateral bundles
D. Radial vascular bundles with exarch xylem and an endodermis with Casparian strips ✓ Correct
Solution: Both root types share radial, exarch bundles and a Casparian-stripped endodermis; they differ in xylem number, pith and secondary growth.
Q7 — Anatomy of Roots · easy · numerical
Certain thin-walled cells of the endodermis that lie opposite the protoxylem points remain unthickened and allow water to pass into the stele. These are called:
A. Companion cells
B. Passage cells ✓ Correct
C. Guard cells
D. Bulliform cells
Solution: Passage cells are endodermal cells opposite the protoxylem that stay thin-walled, permitting water and mineral entry into the vascular cylinder despite the Casparian strips elsewhere.
Q8 — Anatomy of Roots · easy · numerical
In a monocot root the parenchymatous tissue occupying the centre, well developed and large, is the:
A. Endodermis
B. Pith ✓ Correct
C. Pericycle
D. Cortex
Solution: Monocot roots have a large, well-developed pith at the centre; in typical dicot roots the pith is small or absent because the xylem reaches the centre.
Q9 — Anatomy of Roots · easy · numerical
The parenchymatous tissue that lies between the xylem and phloem strands in the vascular cylinder of a dicot root is the:
A. Conjunctive tissue ✓ Correct
B. Conjunctive collenchyma
C. Hypodermis
D. Medullary ray
Solution: The parenchyma lying between alternating xylem and phloem patches in a root is called conjunctive tissue; part of it may later become cambium during secondary growth.
Q10 — Anatomy of Roots · easy · numerical
The single-layered outermost region of a young root, many of whose cells bear unicellular absorptive hairs, is the:
A. Epiblema ✓ Correct
B. Pericycle
C. Epidermis with cuticle
D. Endodermis
Solution: The root epidermis is called the epiblema (piliferous layer); it lacks a cuticle and stomata and bears root hairs for water absorption.
Q11 — Anatomy of Roots · medium · numerical
A transverse section of a root shows more than six xylem strands arranged in a ring around a large central pith. This anatomy indicates the root is:
A. A monocot stem
B. A dicot root (tetrarch)
C. A monocot root (polyarch) ✓ Correct
D. A dicot root (diarch)
Solution: Many (usually more than six) xylem bundles, i.e. a polyarch condition, together with a large pith, is characteristic of a monocot root. Dicot roots have two to four (rarely up to six) xylem bundles.
Q12 — Anatomy of Roots · medium · numerical
Assertion (A): The protoxylem of a root lies toward the periphery of the vascular cylinder. Reason (R): This exarch condition of xylem is a distinguishing feature of roots compared with stems. Choose the correct option:
A. Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
B. A is true but R is false
C. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A ✓ Correct
D. A is false but R is true
Solution: In roots the protoxylem is toward the periphery (exarch) and metaxylem toward the centre, which distinguishes root xylem from the endarch xylem of stems.
Q13 — Anatomy of Roots · medium · numerical
During secondary growth in a dicot root, the vascular cambium is formed partly from the conjunctive tissue and partly from a portion of which layer lying above the protoxylem?
A. Epiblema
B. Endodermis
C. Cortex
D. Pericycle ✓ Correct
Solution: The cambial ring arises from the conjunctive tissue below the phloem and from pericycle cells above the protoxylem; the pericycle also gives rise to lateral roots.
Q14 — Anatomy of Roots · medium · numerical
Which of the following features is found in a monocot root but is generally ABSENT in a typical dicot root?
A. A single-layered pericycle
B. A large, well-developed pith at the centre ✓ Correct
C. Radial vascular bundles
D. Exarch xylem
Solution: A large central pith is characteristic of monocot roots; dicot roots usually have little or no pith. Exarch xylem, pericycle and radial bundles are common to both.
Q15 — Anatomy of Roots · medium · numerical
The Casparian strips of the root endodermis are bands deposited on the radial and transverse walls. They are chemically composed mainly of:
A. Lignin only
B. Suberin ✓ Correct
C. Cutin
D. Pectin
Solution: Casparian strips are impregnated with suberin (a waterproof material), forcing water to move through the symplast and giving the endodermis control over what enters the stele.
Q16 — Anatomy of Roots · medium · numerical
Arrange the following regions of a dicot root from the OUTSIDE toward the centre: (1) endodermis (2) epiblema (3) pericycle (4) cortex. The correct sequence is:
A. 2 → 4 → 3 → 1
B. 4 → 2 → 1 → 3
C. 2 → 4 → 1 → 3 ✓ Correct
D. 2 → 1 → 4 → 3
Solution: From the surface inward the order is epiblema, then the wide cortex, then the endodermis, then the pericycle, and finally the vascular tissue. So the sequence is 2, 4, 1, 3.
Q17 — Anatomy of Roots · easy · theory
In dicot root -
A. Vascular bundles are open and arranged in a ring
B. Vascular bundles are scattered with cambium
C. Xylem and phloem are radial ✓ Correct
D. Xylem is always endarch
Solution: In roots, xylem and phloem occur on different radii (radial arrangement); dicot root xylem is exarch, not endarch.
Q18 — Anatomy of Roots · medium · theory
Three or less than six radial vascular bundles are present in -
A. Dicot root ✓ Correct
B. Monocot root
C. Dicot stem
D. Monocot stem
Solution: Dicot roots are di- to hexarch (2 to 6 xylem groups), whereas monocot roots are polyarch.
Q19 — Anatomy of Roots · medium · theory
A dicot root differs from a monocot root in which of the following -
A. Presence of radial vascular bundles
B. Presence of rhizodermis
C. Presence of less developed pith ✓ Correct
D. Presence of hypodermis
Solution: Dicot roots have little or no pith, whereas monocot roots have a well-developed pith; rhizodermis and radial bundles occur in both.
Q20 — Anatomy of Roots · easy · theory
Polyarch and exarch vascular bundles are the characteristic of -
A. Dicot root
B. Dicot stem
C. Monocot root ✓ Correct
D. Monocot stem
Solution: Monocot roots have many (polyarch) xylem strands with exarch protoxylem.
Q21 — Anatomy of Roots · medium · theory
Type of vascular bundles in fern roots -
A. Conjoint collateral
B. Hadrocentric
C. Radial ✓ Correct
D. Leptocentric
Solution: Roots, including fern roots, have radial vascular bundles with xylem and phloem on separate radii.
Q22 — Anatomy of Roots · medium · theory
Anatomically a fairly old dicotyledonous root is distinguished from the dicotyledonous stem by -
A. Presence of cortex
B. Position of protoxylem ✓ Correct
C. Absence of secondary xylem
D. Absence of secondary phloem
Solution: Roots have exarch protoxylem while stems are endarch; this position of protoxylem remains diagnostic even after secondary growth.
Q23 — Anatomy of Roots · medium · theory
A major characteristic of the monocot root is the presence of -
A. Vasculature without cambium ✓ Correct
B. Scattered vascular bundles
C. Cambium sandwiched between phloem and xylem along the radius
D. Open vascular bundles
Solution: Monocot roots lack cambium and hence show no secondary growth.
Q24 — Anatomy of Roots · medium · theory
In the dicot root the vascular cambium originates from -
A. Intrafascicular and interfascicular tissue in a ring.
B. Cortical region.
C. Parenchyma between endodermis and pericycle.
D. Tissue located below the phloem bundles and a portion of pericycle tissue above protoxylem. ✓ Correct
Solution: In dicot roots the cambium arises from conjunctive parenchyma below the phloem plus pericycle cells above the protoxylem, forming a wavy ring.
Q25 — Anatomy of Roots · medium · theory
Pith is small or inconspicuous in
A. Monocot root
B. Dicot root ✓ Correct
C. Dicot stem
D. Monocot stem
Solution: In dicot roots the pith is small or inconspicuous, whereas monocot roots have a large, well-developed pith.
Q26 — Anatomy of Roots · medium · theory
The dicot root is identified from the monocot root by the presence of
A. Exarch xylem
B. More than 6 xylem bundles
C. 2-4 xylem bundles ✓ Correct
D. Large and well developed pith
Solution: Dicot roots have 2 to 4 xylem bundles (di- to tetrarch); more than six bundles and a large pith characterise monocot roots.
Q27 — Anatomy of Roots · medium · theory
Consider the following four statements (a-d) and select the option which includes all the correct ones only: (a) In wheat plant fibrous root system is present. (b) Prop roots found in Banyan tree. (c) Axillary bud is capable of forming a branch or a flower. (d) The trichomes in shoot system are usually unicellular.
A. Statements (a), (b) and (d)
B. Statements (a), (b) and (c) ✓ Correct
C. Statements (c), (d) and (a)
D. Statements (b), (c) and (d)
Solution: Wheat has fibrous roots, banyan has prop roots and axillary buds form branches/flowers; trichomes are usually multicellular, so (d) is false.
Q28 — Anatomy of Roots · easy · theory
Four radial vascular bundles are found in :-
A. Dicot root ✓ Correct
B. Monocot root
C. Monocot stem
D. Dicot stem
Solution: A tetrarch (four radial vascular bundles) condition is typical of dicot roots.
Q29 — Anatomy of Roots · easy · theory
What is true about root hairs?
A. Always unicellular ✓ Correct
B. Sometimes multicellular
C. Sometimes unicellular
D. Always multicellular
Solution: Root hairs are unicellular extensions of the epiblema (epidermal cells).
Q30 — Anatomy of Roots · medium · theory
A common character of monocot and dicot roots is
A. Endarch xylem
B. Exarch protoxylem ✓ Correct
C. Occurrence of secondary growth
D. Number of xylem strands
Solution: Both monocot and dicot roots have exarch xylem (protoxylem towards periphery).