Read the following five statements (A-E) and answer as asked next to them. (A) In Equisetum, the male gametophyte is retained on the parent sporophytes. (B) In Ginkgo, male gametophyte is not independent. (C) The sporophyte in Riccia is more developed than that in Polytrichum. (D) Sexual reproduction in Volvox is isogamous. (E) The spores of slime molds lack cell walls. How many of the above statements are correct?

In Equisetum, the gametophyte is independent and hence gametophytes are not retained on the parent sporophytes. The spores germinate shortly after shedding and give rise to prothallus. Ginkgo is a living gymnosperm belonging to the group ginkgopsida also considered as a living fossil. In gymnosperms, the male gametophyte is dependent. Riccia is the simplest sporophyte among bryophytes while Polytrichum is the highest evolved sporophyte. Volvox is a green alga. Sexual reproduction in Volvox is oogamous. In this, the female gamete is non-motile and egg-like and the male gamete is motile. Slime mold is an informal name given to several kinds of unrelated eukaryotic organisms that can live freely as single cells but can aggregate together to form multicellular reproductive structures. Spores in slime molds are unicellular and have smooth, spiny or reticulately thickened cell walls. All the above statements are false except 'In Ginkgo, the male gametophyte is not independent'. So, the correct answer is 'one'.