MCQ Detailed View

While we usually think of vegetables as stems, roots, or leaves, some vegetables are actually flowers of the plant. Among the given options, the correct answer is Broccoli.

Broccoli is a member of the Brassicaceae family, also known as the mustard family, which includes cauliflower, cabbage, kale, and Brussels sprouts. The part of broccoli that we eat is the flower head. These are clusters of immature flower buds that have not yet opened. If left to grow naturally, these buds would bloom into yellow flowers. Because of this, broccoli is considered both a vegetable and a flower.

Other common vegetables we eat that are actually flowers include cauliflower and artichokes. In cauliflower, the edible portion is the compact mass of undeveloped flower buds, while in artichokes, the edible parts are the flower buds before blooming. These examples highlight how different plant parts serve as food.

In contrast, vegetables like lady finger (okra) and tomato are not flowers. Lady finger is a fruit technically, as it develops from the ovary of a flower and contains seeds. Tomato is also classified as a fruit (specifically a berry) from a botanical perspective, though it is used as a vegetable in cooking.

Understanding which vegetables come from roots, stems, leaves, or flowers is an important part of botany and helps students connect biology with everyday life. For example:

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  Roots: Carrot, beetroot

  
  


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  Stems: Potato, sugarcane

  
  


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  Leaves: Spinach, lettuce

  
  


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  Flowers: Broccoli, cauliflower, artichoke

  
  

In conclusion, the vegetable that is also a flower is Broccoli, as the edible portion consists of tightly packed flower buds of the plant