Final answer:
Liquid crystalline phases are produced by rod-shaped molecules which exhibit orientational and sometimes one-dimensional orders, possessing properties intermediate between crystals and liquids.
Step-by-step explanation:
Liquid crystalline phases are produced by anisotropic molecules, particularly those that are rod-shaped. This can be understood in the sense that they exhibit both orientational (nematic) order and, in certain conditions, a one-dimensional (smectic) order where the molecules form layers with their axes parallel to the layer normal. These structures exhibit long-range molecular order but still retain the ability to flow, showing characteristics intermediate between a solid and a normal liquid.
In the context of the given options, the rod-shaped molecules (e) are responsible for creating liquid crystalline phases. These molecules, due to their shape and the cooperative orientational interactions between them, can align in a certain direction when the temperature is lowered, leading to the formation of nematic or smectic arrangements.