CHAPTER – 03 : PLANT KINGDOM
Artificial classification – Oldest classification and it is based on few vegetative and sexual characters.
Natural classification system – It is based on natural affinities among the organisms in their external and
internal features.
Phylogenetic classification system – It is based on evolutionary relationship.
Numerical taxonomy – By using computers numbers and codes are assigned to all the characters and data
are processed.
Cytotaxonomy – It is based on cytological information like chromosome number, structure and behaviour.
Chemotaxonomy – It is based chemical constituents of the plants.
ALGAE :
Simple, thalloid, autotrophic, aquatic organisms.
Habitats – grow in moist soil and wood.
Symbiotic (Lichens) grow on other animals (Sloth bear).
Colonial (volvox), Filamentous (spirogyra) and Massive bodies (kelp).
Reproduce – vegetative, asexual and sexual.
Spores are Zoospores (male gamete) and Oospores (egg).
Sexual reproduction through isogamous/anisogamous.
Economic importance of Algae :
Porphyra, Laminaria, Sargassum are used as food.
Marine brown algae (Algin) and red algae (Carrageen) are used as Hydrocolloids which is a
fibrous structure holds water and used to transport seedling.
Gelidium, Gracilaria are used to grow microbes; make ice-creams and jellies.
Chlorella and Spirullina are rich in proteins and used as food supplements.
Alage is divided into 3 main classes as Chlorophyceae (green algae), Phaeophyceae (brown algae)
and Rhodophyceae (red algae).
(a) Chlorophyceae (Green algae) :
Colonial/filamentous/unicellular.
Possess chlorophyll a & b.
Stored with proteins/starch.
Some store oil forms.
Cell wall is rigid and made of inner cellulose and outer pectose.
Vegetative reproduction is by fragmentation/spores.
Asexual reproduction is by flagellated Zoospores.
Sexual reproduction is by isogamous/anisogamous/oogamous.
Examples : Volvox, Spirogyra, Chlamydomonas.
(b) Phaeophyceae (Brown algae) :
Marine habitats – vary in size and form from simple branched to filamentous form, Kelp
(100m).
Possess chlorophyll a & c, carotenoid, Xanthophylls and Fucoxanthin.
Food is stored as carbohydrates in the form of Laminarin/Mannitol.
They have cellulosic wall with gelatinous coating of algin.
They are attached to substratum by Holdfast (root like), Stalk (stipe) and leaf (frond).
Vegetative reproduction by fragmentation.
Asexual reproduction is by biflagellated zoospores.
Sexual reproduction is by Isogamous/Anisogamous/Oogamous.
Examples : Laminaria, Sargassum, Ectocarpus, Dictyota, Fucus.
(c) Rhodophyceae (Red algae) :
They have red pigment called “r-phycoerythrin”.
They are marine.
Food is stored as Floridean starch which is similar to amylopectin and glycogen in structure.
Vegetative reproduction is by fragmentation.
Asexually by non-motile spores.
Sexually by non-motile gametes.
Examples : Porphyra, Gracilaria, Gelidium.
BRYOPHYTES :
They live in moist shaded areas in the hill.
It is known as “amphibians of plant kingdom”.
They occur in damp soil, humid and shaded places.
Plant body lacks true roots, stem and leaves.
They are attached to the substratum by unicellular/multicellular Rhizoids.
The main plant is haploid and they produce gametes (Gametophyte – dominant).
The male sex organ is Antheridium (antherozoids).
The female sex organ is Archegonium (single egg).
Antherozoids are released in water which comes into contact with Archegonium to form
Zygote.
Zygote develops into Sporophyte (diploid) undergoes meiosis to form haploid spores which
germinate to produce Gametophyte.
Economic importance :
Provide food for herbaceous mammals/birds.
Sphagnum species (mosses) provide peat which is used as a fuel.
Due to its water holding capacity it is used as packing material for trans-shipment of living
materials.
Mosses and Lichens form Pioneer community on bare rocks.
Form dense mats on soil, so reduce the impact of rain and soil erosion.
There are two classes – Liverworts and Mosses.
(a) Liverworts:
Moist, shady habitats, damp soil, bark of trees and deep in the woods.
Plant body is thalloid (a tiny leaf structures).
Asexual reproduction is by fragmentation. They form gemmae (green, multicellular, asexual
bodies) which detach from parent body and form a new individual.
Sexual reproduction (form male & female sex organs). Sporophyte is differentiated into a
foot, setae and capsule.
Spore germinates to form gametophyte.
Example : Marchantia.
(b) Mosses :
Gametophyte shows two stages – Protonema (spores) and Leafy stage (Secondary
protonema).
Attached to the soil by Rhizoids.
Vegetative reproduction is by fragmentation/budding.
Sexual reproduction is by antheridia and archegonia.
Zygote develops into sporophyte and form capsule and it contains spores (haploid).
Example : Sphagnum, Funaria.
PTERIDOPHYTES :
They are used for medical purpose, ornamental and as soil binders and first terrestrial plants.
They grow in cool, damp, shady places.
Possess vascular tissues (xylem and phloem).
Main plant body is Sporophytes.
The body is differentiated into true roots, stem and leaves.
Leaves may be small (microphylls – selaginella) or large (macrophylls – ferns) and bear
sporangia and form sporophylls (leaf carrying spores).
Sporangia produce spores by meiosis.
Spore germinates to form gametophyte called Prothallus.
They need water for fertilization.
Gametophyte bear male & female sex organs called Antheridia and Archaegonia
respectively.
Gamete fusion results in zygote formation. Zygote develops into sporophytes (dominant
phase).
If all the spores are similar kind, it is called Homospores.
Selaginella produce two kinds of spores - Macro and micro spores, it is called
Heterosporous.
Macro and micro spores develop into female and male gametophytes respectively.
Female gametophyte retained on sporophyte. It leads to the development of seed habit.
There are four classes in Pteridophytes – Psilopsida (E.g.- Psilotum), Lycopsida (E.g.- Selaginella),
Sphenopsida (E.g.- Equisetum) and Pteropsida (E.g.- Pteris).
GYMNOSPERMS:
They are seed bearing plants.
The ovules are not enclosed in an ovary (naked seeds), so no fruits.
Tallest gymnosperm is Sequoia (red wood tree).
Plant body is differentiated into roots, stems and leaves.
Roots are tap root – associated with other organisms like Pinus roots with Mycorrhizae and
Cycas roots with Cyanobacteria (like Nostoc and Anabaena - nitrogen fixing microbes).
Stem can be branched/unbranched.
Leaves are simple/needle like – leaves show Xerophytic adaptation.
Gymnosperms are heterosporous, produce microspores and megaspores.
They form male cones & female cones.
Both cones can occur on same plant/different.
Fertilization results in formation of Zygote which develops into embryo.
Ovules form seeds.
Gymnosperms show diplontic life cycle.
They show Alternation of generation.
Examples : Pinus, Cycas, Cedrus.
ANGIOSPERMS:
They are flowering plants.
Seeds are covered by fruits.
Live in wide range of habitats.
Size varies from tiny microscopic (Wolfia) to tall trees (Eucalyptus).
Provide food, fodder, fuel and medicine.
There are two classes - Dicotyledons and Monocotyledons.
Male sex organ is Stamen and female is Pistil.
Ovules have embryo sac. It undergoes meiosis and form egg apparatus with one egg and 2
synergids, 3 antipodal cells and 2 polar nuclei).
Polar nuclei fuse to form secondary polar nucleus.
Pollen dispersal is by pollination (pollen tube grows into stigma and style of pistil).
One male gamete fuses with egg to form zygote and other male gamete fuses with secondary
polar nucleus (2n) to form Primary Endosperm Nucleus (PEN – 3n).
Due to two fusions, it is called Double fertilization.
Zygote develops into Embryo.
PEN develops into Endosperm which nourishes the developing embryo.
Synergids and antipodal cells are degenerate.
Ovules develop into seeds.
Ovary forms Fruit
