Use the Following Information to Answer the Question

question 37

Multiple Choice

Use the following information to answer the question.
Big Bend National Park in Texas is mostly Chihuahuan desert, where rainfall averages about 25 centimeters per year. Yet, it is not uncommon when hiking in this extremely arid zone to encounter mosses and ferns. One such plant is called "flower of stone." It is not a flowering plant, nor does it produce seeds. Under arid conditions, its leaflike structures curl up. However, when it rains, it unfurls its leaves, which form a bright green rosette on the desert floor. Consequently, it is sometimes called the "resurrection plant." At first glance, it could be a fern, a true moss, or a spike moss.
Which of the following features is most important for true mosses and ferns to reproduce in the desert?

• A) that the sporophytes occupy only permanently shady, north-facing habitats
• B) that the sporophytes hug the ground, growing no taller than a couple of inches
• C) either that their gametophytes grow close together, or that they be homosporous
• D) that the sporophytes have highly lignified vascular tissues

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A state of economic deprivation, lacking sufficient income to meet basic needs such as food, shelter, and clothing.

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A sleep-wake disorder characterized by an extreme need for extra sleep and feelings of excessive sleepiness.

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The act of focusing one's attention or mental effort on a specific task or activity.

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Characterized by the inability to remember things or to retain information.