KINGDOM PLANTAE

Plant Kingdom – Plantae

Kingdom Plantae includes all the plants. They are eukaryotic, multicellular and autotrophic
organisms. The plant cell contains a rigid cell wall. Plants have chloroplast and chlorophyll
pigment, which is required for photosynthesis.

Characteristics of Kingdom Plantae

The plant kingdom has the following characteristic features:

1. They are non-motile.

2. They make their own food and hence are called autotrophs.
3. They reproduce asexually by vegetative propagation or sexually.
4. These are multicellular eukaryotes. The plant cell contains the outer cell wall and a
large central vacuole.
5. Plants contain photosynthetic pigments called chlorophyll present in the plastids.
6. They have different organelles for anchorage, reproduction, support and
photosynthesis.

Classification of Kingdom Plantae

A plant kingdom is further classified into subgroups. Classification is based on the following
criteria:

1. Plant body: Presence or absence of a well-differentiated plant body. E.g. Root, Stem
and Leaves.
2. Vascular system: Presence or absence of a vascular system for the transportation of
water and other substances. E.g. Phloem and Xylem.
3. Seed formation: Presence or absence of flowers and seeds and if the seeds are naked
or enclosed in a fruit.
The plant kingdom has been classified into five subgroups according to the above-mentioned
criteria:

1. Thallophyta
2. Bryophyta
3. Pteridophyta
4. Gymnosperms
5. Angiosperms
Thallophyta

Thallophytes lack a well-differentiated body structure and the plant body is thallus like.

Thallophytes
Thallophyta includes plants with primitive and simple body structures. The plant body is
thallus, they may be filamentous, colonial, branched or unbranched. Examples include green
algae, red algae and brown algae. Common examples are Volvox, Spirogyra, Chara, etc.

Bryophyta

Bryophytes
Bryophytes do not have vascular tissues. The plant body has root-like, stem-like and leaf-like
structures. Bryophytes are terrestrial plants but are known as “amphibians of the plant
kingdom” as they require water for sexual reproduction. They are present in moist and shady
places. Some of the common examples are Marchantia, Funaria, Antheoceros, etc.

Pteridophyta

Pteridophytes have a well-differentiated plant body into root, stem and leaves. They have a
vascular system for the conduction of water and other substances. Some of the common
examples are Selaginella, Pteris, etc.

Pteridophytes
Gymnosperms

Gymnosperms: Vascular plants that possess “exposed” seeds

Gymnosperms have a well-differentiated plant body and vascular tissues. They bear naked
seeds, i.e. seeds are not enclosed within a fruit. Some of the common examples of
gymnosperms are Cycas, Pinus,etc.

Angiosperms

Angiosperms: Vascular plants that possess special characteristics such as flowers and fruits
Angiosperms are seed-bearing vascular plants with a well-differentiated plant body. The
seeds of angiosperms are enclosed within the fruits. Angiosperms are widely distributed and
vary greatly in size, e.g. Wolffia is small measuring about 0.1 cm and Eucalyptus trees are
around 100 m tall. Angiosperms are further divided into monocotyledons and dicotyledons
according to the number of cotyledons present in the seeds. Some of the common examples
are mango, rose, tomato, onion, wheat, maize, etc.
RAFFLESIA FLOWER:6.8-7KG

Cryptogams and Phanerogams

The plant kingdom is also classified into two groups:

Cryptogams – Non-flowering and non-seed bearing plants. E.g. Thallophyta, Bryophyta,

Pteridophyta

Phanerogams – Flowering and seed-bearing plants. E.g. Gymnosperms, Angiosperms

 HOMEWORK AND CLASSWORK
Q1

Name the pigment responsible for photosynthesis in plants.

Chlorophyll is the pigment responsible for photosynthesis in plants.

Q2

Describe the criteria for levels of classification in plants.

The plant kingdom is further classified based on the following three criteria:

 Plant body
 Vascular system
 Seed formation
Q3

Explain the characteristic of Thallophytes.

Members of this class lack a well-differentiated body structure, or in other words, the body is
not clearly divided into stem, leaves and roots.

Q4
Write down the characteristics of kingdom plantae.
 1. They are non-motile.
2. They make their own food and hence are called autotrophs.
3. They reproduce asexually by vegetative propagation or sexually.
4. These are multicellular eukaryotes. The plant cell contains the outer cell wall and a
large central vacuole.
5. Plants contain photosynthetic pigments called chlorophyll present in the plastids.
6. They have different organelles for anchorage, reproduction, support and
photosynthesis.
Q5
Explain the significant features of Gymnosperms.
Gymnosperms include plants that possess a vascular system and a well-differentiated body
structure. Furthermore, they bear seeds like the angiosperms, but they are not encased within
a fruit. Hence, the term “Gymnosperm”, which is derived from Greek word, gymno = naked
and Sperma = seed.
Q6

List the characteristics of Angiosperms.

 Seed-bearing plants
 Seeds are enclosed within fruits
 Presence of well-differentiated plant body
 Produce flowers during their lifespan
 Presence of two subtypes – monocots and dicots

[Link] a short notes on following:

1)Bryophytes

2)Pteridophytes.
 DOUBLE FERTILIZATION
Double Fertilization
In flowering plants or angiosperms, reproduction is attained by fertilization; more precisely
double fertilization.

Double Fertilization Definition

“Double fertilization is a complex process which involves the fusion of one female
gametophyte with two male gametes”

What is Double Fertilization?

Double fertilization is a chief trait of flowering plants. In the phenomena, one female gamete
unites with two male gametes. One of the male gametes fertilizes the egg resulting in the
formation of a zygote and the other unites with 2 polar nuclei for the formation of an
endosperm.

Double fertilization provides stimulus to the plant resulting in the ovarian development to
fruits and the development of ovules into the seed. When the haploid male gametes and
female gametes fuse, the diploid state of the plant is restored.

Double Fertilization Process

The process of double fertilization is explained below:
Double Fertilization in Angiosperms
Angiosperms are flower-bearing plants and are the most diverse group of terrestrial plants.
The flowers form the reproductive part of angiosperms with separate male and female
reproductive organs. Each contains gametes – sperm and egg cells, respectively.

Pollination helps the pollen grains to reach stigma via style. The two sperm cells enter the
ovule-synergid cell. This proceeds to fertilization.

In angiosperms, fertilization results in two structures, namely, zygote and endosperm, hence
the name “double fertilization.”

Double fertilization is a complex process where out of two sperm cells, one fuses with the
egg cell and the other fuses with two polar nuclei which result in a diploid (2n) zygote and a
triploid (3n) primary endosperm nucleus (PEN) respectively.

Since endosperm is a product of the fusion of three haploid nuclei, it is called triple fusion.
Eventually, the primary endosperm nucleus develops into the primary endosperm cell (PEC)
and then into the endosperm.

The zygote becomes an embryo after numerous cell divisions.

Double Fertilization
Development of Embryo in Angiosperms
Once fertilization is completed, embryonic development starts and no more sperms can enter
the ovary. The fertilized ovule develops into a seed, and ovary tissues develop a
fleshy fruit which encloses the seed.

After fertilization, the zygote divides into the upper terminal cell and lower basal cell. The
basal cell develops into suspensor, which helps in the transport of nutrients to the growing
embryo. The terminal cell develops into pro-embryo.

Following are the different stages involved in the development of an embryo.

Stages of Embryonic Development In Angiosperms

1. In the first stage of development, the terminal cell divides forming a globular pro-embryo.
The basal cell also divides, into a suspensor.
2. The developing embryo attains a heart shape due to the presence of cotyledons.
3. The growing embryo gets crowded and begins to bend.
4. The embryo fills the seed completely.

Significance of Double Fertilization

The significance of double fertilization is as follows:

1. Two products are obtained as a result of double fertilization.

2. There are chances of polyembryony, and the plant has better chances of survival.
3. Double fertilization gives rise to an endosperm that provides nourishment to the developing
embryo.
4. It increases the viability of the seeds of angiosperms.
5. It utilizes both the male gametes produced by the pollen grains.

*Polyembryony is the development of many embryos from a single fertilized egg or seed.

HOMEWORK AND CLASSWORK

[Link] is double fertilization?

Double fertilization refers to the fusion of one female gametophyte with two male
gametophytes.
[Link] is the importance of double fertilization?

Double fertilization provides stimulus to the plant as the ovary develops into a fruit. Due to
the fusion of male and female haploid gametes, a diploid zygote is formed. The zygote
develops into an embryo, giving rise to a new plant.

[Link] are the end products of double fertilization?

The end products of double fertilization are:

 Diploid Zygote
 Primary Endosperm Nucleus

[Link] is double fertilization absent in gymnosperms?

Gymnosperms are devoid of ovaries, and the male and female gametophytes are present on
cones. Whereas, in angiosperms, the gametophytes are a part of the flower. Hence,
pollination in gymnosperms occurs with the help of wind that blows the pollen to land on the
female cones. That is why they do not exhibit double fertilization.

[Link] the process of double fertilization with the help of a

diagram.

Double fertilization is the characteristic of angiosperms. In this process, one male gamete
fuses with the egg to form a zygote, which is known as syngamy. The other male gamete
fuses with the two polar nuclei in the central cell to produce a triploid primary endosperm
nucleus or PEN. This process is called triple fusion. Since fertilisation occurs twice, it is
called double fertilisation.
[Link] a note on the significance of double fertilization.