Consider the following statements: In fern plants: 1. vascular system is absent. 2. reproductive organs are multi-cellular. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Statement 1 is incorrect because ferns are pteridophytes, which are defined as vascular cryptogams [c1][t4]. They possess a well-developed vascular system consisting of xylem and phloem for the transport of water, minerals, and nutrients [t1][t5]. In fact, pteridophytes were the first group of plants to develop vascular tissue [t1]. Statement 2 is correct because ferns exhibit an alternation of generations where the haploid gametophyte is a multicellular organism [t2][t7]. This gametophyte develops multicellular reproductive organs (gametangia) known as antheridia (male) and archegonia (female) [t7][t8]. These structures produce gametes through mitosis, which eventually fuse to form the diploid sporophyte [t7]. Therefore, while ferns lack seeds and flowers, they possess both a vascular system and multicellular reproductive organs.

Sources

1. [1] Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 9: Indian Biodiversity Diverse Landscape > 6. Pteridophytes > p. 157
2. [2] https://uou.ac.in/sites/default/files/slm/MSCBOT-503.pdf
3. [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gametophyte
4. [4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK9980/