Given below are two statements : One is labelled as Assertion (A) and the other is labelled as Reason (R).

Assertion (A) : A typical unfertilised, angiosperm embryo sac at maturity is 8 nucleate and 7-celled.
Reason (R) : The egg apparatus has 2 polar nuclei.
In the light of the above statements, choose the correct answer from the options given below :

Assertion (A): “A typical unfertilised, angiosperm embryo sac at maturity is 8 nucleate and 7‑celled.” This statement is true.

Explanation: The mature embryo sac (also called the polygonum‑type) develops from the megaspore mother cell through megagametogenesis. It contains seven cells: one egg cell, two synergids, three antipodal cells, and one central cell. The nuclei distribution is as follows:

• Egg cell – 1 nucleus
• Two synergids – 1 nucleus each (total 2)
• Three antipodal cells – 1 nucleus each (total 3)
• Central cell – 2 nuclei (the polar nuclei) that later fuse to form a diploid nucleus after fertilisation.

Counting all nuclei gives 1 + 2 + 3 + 2 = 8 nuclei, while the number of cells is 7. Hence the assertion is correct.

Reason (R): “The egg apparatus has 2 polar nuclei.” This statement is false.

Explanation: The term “egg apparatus” refers specifically to the group of three cells at the micropylar end of the embryo sac: the egg cell and the two synergids. The polar nuclei are located in the central cell, not in the egg apparatus. Therefore the egg apparatus does **not** contain the polar nuclei; it contains only one egg cell and two synergids.

Since the assertion is true and the reason is false, the correct choice is “A is true but R is false.”