Concept: This question tests your knowledge of plant adaptations, specifically specialized roots found in certain ecological niches.

Why (C) is correct: Pneumatophores are specialized respiratory roots that grow upwards (negatively geotropic) from the main root system of some mangrove plants, like Avicennia. They have pores called lenticels through which gases are exchanged, allowing the roots to obtain oxygen in waterlogged, anaerobic (oxygen-deficient) soil conditions typical of mangrove swamps.

Why other options are wrong:

• (A) Eichhornia (water hyacinth) is a free-floating aquatic plant with spongy petioles for buoyancy, not pneumatophores.
• (B) Murrya (curry leaf tree) is a terrestrial plant and does not possess pneumatophores.
• (D) Casuarina (she-oak) is a terrestrial tree, often found in coastal areas, but does not have pneumatophores; it has modified stems (cladodes).

NEET Tip: Remember that pneumatophores are a classic adaptation for plants growing in marshy, saline, and oxygen-poor environments, primarily mangroves.

Correct Answer: (C)