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Non-Rationalised Science NCERT Notes and Solutions (Class 11th)
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Physics Chemistry Biology

Class 11th (Biology) Chapters
1. The Living World 2. Biological Classification 3. Plant Kingdom
4. Animal Kingdom 5. Morphology Of Flowering Plants 6. Anatomy Of Flowering Plants
7. Structural Organisation In Animals 8. Cell - The Unit Of Life 9. Biomolecules
10. Cell Cycle And Cell Division 11. Transport In Plants 12. Mineral Nutrition
13. Photosynthesis In Higher Plants 14. Respiration In Plants 15. Plant - Growth And Development
16. Digestion And Absorption 17. Breathing And Exchange Of Gases 18. Body Fluids And Circulation
19. Excretory Products And Their Elimination 20. Locomotion And Movement 21. Neural Control And Coordination
22. Chemical Coordination And Integration



Chapter 3. Plant Kingdom



In the five-kingdom classification proposed by Whittaker (1969), living organisms are broadly divided into Monera, Protista, Fungi, Animalia, and Plantae.

This chapter focuses on the detailed classification within Kingdom Plantae, often referred to as the 'plant kingdom'.


It's important to understand that the concept and definition of the plant kingdom have evolved over time.

Organisms like Fungi and certain members of Monera (e.g., cyanobacteria, previously called blue-green algae) and Protista (those with cell walls) were included in the plant kingdom in earlier classification systems.

However, based on differences in characteristics like cell wall composition, presence of a nucleus, and mode of nutrition, these groups have been excluded from Plantae in Whittaker's system.

Thus, cyanobacteria are no longer considered 'algae' in this classification.

Within the framework of Kingdom Plantae discussed here, we will study the following major groups: Algae, Bryophytes, Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms, and Angiosperms.


Different systems have been used to classify angiosperms, reflecting evolving understanding:


Modern taxonomy also utilizes several aids for classification:



Algae

Algae are relatively simple organisms that possess chlorophyll, enabling them to perform photosynthesis.

Plant Body: Their body structure is a thallus – a relatively undifferentiated body that lacks true roots, stems, or leaves.

Nutrition: They are autotrophic, producing their own food.

Habitat: Primarily aquatic, found in both freshwater and marine environments. They can also be found in moist habitats like damp stones, soils, and wood. Some exist in symbiotic relationships with fungi (forming lichens) or even animals (like on the sloth bear).


Diversity in Form and Size:


Reproduction in algae occurs through vegetative, asexual, and sexual methods.


Economic Importance of Algae:


Algae are broadly divided into three main classes:

  1. Chlorophyceae (Green algae)
  2. Phaeophyceae (Brown algae)
  3. Rhodophyceae (Red algae)

Chlorophyceae

Common Name: Green algae, due to the dominance of chlorophyll pigments.

Pigments: Chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b, which impart the characteristic grass-green colour.

Plant Body: Can be unicellular, colonial (*Volvox*), or filamentous (*Ulothrix*, *Spirogyra*).

Chloroplasts: Pigments are located within distinct chloroplasts, which can vary in shape (discoid, plate-like, reticulate, cup-shaped, spiral, or ribbon-shaped).

Storage Bodies: Most members have one or more pyrenoids located in the chloroplasts. Pyrenoids contain protein and starch. Food may also be stored as oil droplets.

Cell Wall: Usually rigid, composed of an inner layer of cellulose and an outer layer of pectose.

Reproduction:

Examples: *Chlamydomonas*, *Volvox*, *Ulothrix*, *Spirogyra*, *Chara*.


Phaeophyceae

Common Name: Brown algae.

Habitat: Primarily marine.

Size and Form: Exhibit great variation, from simple branched filamentous forms (*Ectocarpus*) to large, profusely branched forms called kelps, which can reach heights up to 100 meters.

Pigments: Contain chlorophyll a, chlorophyll c, carotenoids, and xanthophylls.

Colour: Ranges from olive green to various shades of brown, depending on the amount of the xanthophyll pigment fucoxanthin.

Stored Food: Complex carbohydrates, stored as laminarin or mannitol.

Cell Wall: Cellulosic wall covered by a gelatinous coating of algin on the outside.

Protoplast: Contains plastids, a centrally located vacuole, and a nucleus.

Plant Body Structure (complex forms): Typically differentiated into:

Reproduction:

Examples: *Ectocarpus*, *Dictyota*, *Laminaria*, *Sargassum*, *Fucus*.


Rhodophyceae

Common Name: Red algae, due to the dominance of the red pigment.

Pigments: Chlorophyll a, chlorophyll d, and the red pigment r-phycoerythrin.

Habitat: Majority are marine, particularly abundant in warmer areas. They can be found in both well-lit surface waters and at greater depths where little light penetrates.

Plant Body: Most red algae are multicellular and some have quite complex body organization.

Stored Food: Stored as floridean starch, which is structurally very similar to amylopectin and glycogen.

Cell Wall: Composed of cellulose, pectin, and poly sulphate esters.

Reproduction:

Examples: *Polysiphonia*, *Porphyra*, *Gracilaria*, *Gelidium*.


Summary table of Algal classes:

Classes Common Name Major Pigments Stored Food Cell Wall Flagellar Number and Position of Insertions Habitat
Chlorophyceae Green algae Chlorophyll a, b Starch Cellulose 2-8, equal, apical Fresh water, brackish water, salt water
Phaeophyceae Brown algae Chlorophyll a, c, fucoxanthin Mannitol, laminarin Cellulose and algin 2, unequal, lateral Fresh water (rare) brackish water, salt water
Rhodophyceae Red algae Chlorophyll a, d, phycoerythrin Floridean starch Cellulose, pectin and poly sulphate esters Absent Fresh water (some), brackish water, salt water (most)


Bryophytes

Bryophytes include mosses and liverworts, commonly found in moist, shaded areas, especially in hilly regions.

Commonly called the "amphibians of the plant kingdom" because they live on land but rely on water for sexual reproduction.

Habitat: Found in damp, humid, and shaded locations.

Ecological Importance: Play a significant role in plant succession on bare rocks and soil, helping to colonize these areas after lichens.


Plant Body:


Life Cycle - The Dominant Phase:

Reproduction:

Sporophyte:

Diagrams of Bryophytes: Marchantia (Liverwort - female and male thalli), Funaria (Moss - gametophyte and sporophyte), Sphagnum (Moss - gametophyte).

Economic Importance:

Bryophytes are divided into two major groups: Liverworts and Mosses.


Liverworts

Habitat: Grow in moist, shady places like stream banks, marshy ground, damp soil, bark of trees, and deep woods.

Plant Body:

Reproduction:

Sporophyte:


Mosses

Life Cycle - Dominant Gametophyte Stage:

The gametophyte in mosses is more elaborate and consists of two stages:

  1. Protonema stage: The first stage, developing directly from a spore. It is a creeping, green, branched, and filamentous structure.
  2. Leafy stage: Develops as a lateral bud from the secondary protonema. It consists of upright, slender axes bearing spirally arranged leaves. This stage is attached to the soil by multicellular, branched rhizoids and bears the sex organs.

Reproduction:

Sporophyte:

Examples: *Funaria*, *Polytrichum*, *Sphagnum*.



Pteridophytes

Pteridophytes include horsetails and ferns.

Uses: Used for medicinal purposes, as soil binders, and frequently grown as ornamentals.

Evolutionary Significance: They are the first terrestrial plants to possess vascular tissues (xylem and phloem).

Habitat: Found in cool, damp, shady places, although some can tolerate sandy conditions.


Life Cycle - The Dominant Phase:

Plant Body Structure:

Images showing different pteridophytes: Selaginella, Equisetum (horsetail) with strobilus, a fern with fronds, and Salvinia.

Reproduction (Sporophytic Generation):

Gametophytic Generation:

Fertilisation:


Spore Production and Seed Habit Precursor:


Pteridophytes are classified into four classes:

  1. Psilopsida: e.g., *Psilotum*
  2. Lycopsida: e.g., *Selaginella*, *Lycopodium*
  3. Sphenopsida: e.g., *Equisetum*
  4. Pteropsida: e.g., *Dryopteris*, *Pteris*, *Adiantum* (ferns)


Gymnosperms

The term "Gymnosperms" comes from Greek words 'gymnos' (naked) and 'sperma' (seeds), referring to the characteristic feature that their ovules are not enclosed by an ovary wall.

The ovules remain exposed both before and after fertilization.

Consequently, the seeds that develop after fertilization are also not covered, hence they are called naked-seeded plants.


Plant Body:

Images showing examples of gymnosperms: Cycas, Pinus with male and female cones, and Ginkgo with seeds.

Reproduction - Heterospory and Spore Production:

Male Cones:

Female Cones:


Fertilisation and Seed Development:



Angiosperms

Angiosperms are commonly known as flowering plants.

Distinguishing Feature from Gymnosperms: In angiosperms, the ovules are enclosed within an ovary.

Sexual Reproduction Structures: Pollen grains (male gametophyte) and ovules (female gametophyte) are developed in specialized structures called flowers.

Seeds: After fertilization, the ovules develop into seeds, and the ovary develops into a fruit. Therefore, seeds are enclosed within fruits.


Diversity and Habitat:

Economic Importance: They are a primary source of food, fodder, fuel, medicines, and many other commercially important products for humans.


Classification:

Angiosperms are divided into two main classes:

  1. Dicotyledons (Dicots):
    • Seeds: Have two cotyledons (seed leaves).
    • Leaves: Typically show reticulate venation (net-like pattern of veins).
    • Flowers: Usually tetramerous or pentamerous, meaning the floral whorls (like petals, sepals) have members in multiples of four or five.
  2. Monocotyledons (Monocots):
    • Seeds: Have a single cotyledon.
    • Leaves: Show parallel venation (veins run parallel to each other).
    • Flowers: Usually trimerous, meaning floral whorls have members in multiples of three.
Diagrams illustrating characteristics of a dicotyledon (e.g., showing two cotyledons, reticulate venation) and a monocotyledon (e.g., showing one cotyledon, parallel venation).

Reproductive Structures (Flower):

Pollination and Fertilisation:

Post-Fertilisation Developments:

Diagram illustrating the life cycle of an angiosperm, showing alternation of generations, gamete formation, double fertilisation, and seed/fruit development.


Plant Life Cycles And Alternation Of Generations

In plants, both haploid ($\textsf{n}$) and diploid ($\textsf{2n}$) cells are capable of dividing by mitosis. This allows for the formation of distinct multicellular haploid and diploid plant bodies within a single life cycle.

The haploid plant body is called the gametophyte. It produces haploid gametes through mitosis.

The fusion of gametes during fertilization results in a diploid zygote ($\textsf{2n}$).

The diploid plant body is called the sporophyte. The zygote divides by mitosis to form this multicellular sporophyte.

The sporophyte produces haploid spores ($\textsf{n}$) through meiosis (reduction division).

These haploid spores germinate and divide mitotically to form a new haploid gametophyte plant body.

Thus, the life cycle of sexually reproducing plants involves an alternation of generations between the haploid gametophyte (gamete-producing) and the diploid sporophyte (spore-producing).

Diagrams illustrating three types of plant life cycles: Haplontic, Diplontic, and Haplo-diplontic (alternation of generations).

While all sexually reproducing plants show alternation of generations, the relative dominance and independence of the gametophyte and sporophyte phases vary among different plant groups, leading to different life cycle patterns:


Haplontic Life Cycle

Characterized by a dominant, free-living, photosynthetic haploid gametophyte as the main plant body.

The diploid sporophytic generation is represented only by the single-celled zygote.

There is no free-living sporophyte.

Meiosis occurs in the zygote (zygotic meiosis), producing haploid spores.

Spores divide mitotically to form the gametophyte.

Examples: Many algae, including *Volvox*, *Spirogyra*, and some species of *Chlamydomonas*.


Diplontic Life Cycle

Characterized by a dominant, free-living, photosynthetic diploid sporophyte as the main plant body.

The haploid gametophytic phase is very reduced, represented only by single to few-celled haploid gametophytes.

Gametes are produced by meiosis in the sporophyte (gametic meiosis).

Example: The alga *Fucus*.

All seed-bearing plants (Gymnosperms and Angiosperms) also follow this general pattern, although their gametophytes are multicellular but depend on the sporophyte.


Haplo-diplontic Life Cycle

Also called Alternation of Generations (sensu stricto) or Intermediate life cycle.

Both the haploid gametophyte and the diploid sporophyte phases are multicellular.

However, they differ in their dominance:

Examples: Bryophytes and Pteridophytes.

Some algae also show this pattern, such as *Ectocarpus*, *Polysiphonia*, and kelps.



Exercises



Question 1. What is the basis of classification of algae?

Answer:

Question 2. When and where does reduction division take place in the life cycle of a liverwort, a moss, a fern, a gymnosperm and an angiosperm?

Answer:

Question 3. Name three groups of plants that bear archegonia. Briefly describe the life cycle of any one of them.

Answer:

Question 4. Mention the ploidy of the following: protonemal cell of a moss; primary endosperm nucleus in dicot, leaf cell of a moss; prothallus cell of a ferm; gemma cell in Marchantia; meristem cell of monocot, ovum of a liverwort, and zygote of a fern.

Answer:

Question 5. Write a note on economic importance of algae and gymnosperms.

Answer:

Question 6. Both gymnosperms and angiosperms bear seeds, then why are they classified separately?

Answer:

Question 7. What is heterospory? Briefly comment on its significance. Give two examples.

Answer:

Question 8. Explain briefly the following terms with suitable examples:-

(i) protonema

(ii) antheridium

(iii) archegonium

(iv) diplontic

(v) sporophyll

(vi) isogamy

Answer:

Question 9. Differentiate between the following:-

(i) red algae and brown algae

(ii) liverworts and moss

(iii) homosporous and heterosporous pteridophyte

(iv) syngamy and triple fusion

Answer:

Question 10. How would you distinguish monocots from dicots?

Answer:

Question 11. Match the following (column I with column II)

Column I Column II
(a) Chlamydomonas (i) Moss
(b) Cycas (ii) Pteridophyte
(c) Selaginella (iii) Algae
(d) Sphagnum (iv) Gymnosperm

Answer:

Question 12. Describe the important characteristics of gymnosperms.

Answer: