Class- IX Biology Topic: Classification of Plants

Short Notes:
➢ Robert Whittaker in 1959 proposed Five Kingdom System- Monera, Protista,
Fungi, Plantae, Animalia.
➢ Eichler (botanist) in 1883 classified kingdom Plantae in two Sub Kingdoms.
1) Cryptogams: i) Thallophyta ii) Bryophyta iii) Pteridophyta
2) Phanerogams: i) Gymnosperm ii) Angiosperm
➢ Basis of Classification:
• Presence or absence of organs.
• Presence or absence of separate conducting tissue (Xylem or phloem).
• Presence or absence of Seed.
• If present then, Seeds are enclosed in fruit of not.
• Number of cotyledon- Monocot or dicot
❖ Cryptogams:
- Cryptos- Hidden, Gams- Reproductive organs
- Flowers and seeds are absent
- Reproductive organs are inconspicuous
- It includes lower plants that have necked embryo called Spores

Prepared by- Amol Sir

1) Division-I : Thallophyta
• Mainly grow in water
• Does not have specific parts.
• Includes autotrophic algae (presence of chlorophyll)
• They may be Unicellular or multicellular.
• Some found in fresh water while some in saline water.
• Plants usually have Soft & Fibre like body
• Fungi like Yeast & Moulds, which do not have Chlorophyll also included
in Thallophyta.
Examples: 1) Spirogyra
2) Sargassum
3) Ulva
4) Ulothrix

2) Division-II : Bryophyta
• During rainy season grow on old bricks and rocks in rainy season.
• Known as Amphibians of Plant kingdom.
• Reason: Grow in moist soil But Need water for reproduction.
• Reproduce by- Spore Formation.
• Plant body- Flat, ribbon-like long.
• Without true roots, stem & leaves but have stem-like or leaf-like parts and
Root-like: Rhizoids.
• Vascular bundles (Xylem & Phloem) are absent.
• Furns are known as Ornamental plants in Garden.
Examples : 1) Moss (Funaria)
2) Marchantia
3) Anthoceros
4) Riccia

3) Division- III : Pteridophyta

• Have well developed Roots, stem & Leaves and separate tissues for
conduction of food and water.
• Do not bear flower & Fruit.
• Have well developed conduction system (Xylem & Phloem)
• Reproduce with the help of Spores formed along the back or posterior
surface of their leaves.

Prepared by- Amol Sir

 • These plants Reproduce by both asexually & sexually.
Asexually by- Spore Formation
Sexually by- Zygote formation
Examples: 1) Adiantum
2) Equisetum
3) Lycopodium
4) Marsilea
5) Nephrolepis
6) Selaginella

❖ Phanerogams:
- Plants with special structures for Reproduction & produce seeds are c/as
Phanerogams.
- In these plants after process of reproduction, seeds are formed which
contains the embryo and stored food.
- During germination of seed, the stored food is used for initial growth of
embryo.
- Classified in 2 groups
1) Gymnosperm- Seeds are necked
2) Angiosperm- Seeds are enclosed in Fruit.

4) Division-I : Gymnosperm
• Gymnos: Necked ; Sperms: Seeds
• Mostly Evergreen, perennial and woody.
• Stems are without branches.
• Leaves form a crown
• Gymnosperm plants bear male and female flower on different
sporophylls of the same plant.
• Seeds do not have natural covering i.e. these plants do not form
Fruits.
Examples: 1) Cycas
2) Picea (Christmas tree)
3) Pinus ( Deodar)
4) Thuja (Morpankhi)

Prepared by- Amol Sir

 5) Division- II : Angiosperms
• Angio- Cover ; Sperms- seeds
• The flower of these plants are their reproductive organs.
• Classified in to two groups-
1) Dicot- The plants whose seeds can be divided into two equal halves
or dicotyledons are called Dicot Plants
Example: Ground nuts, Pea, Pulses etc
2) Monocot- The plants whose seeds can not be divides into two parts
are called Monot Plants.
Example: Onion, Bamboo, Banana, Rice, Maize, Wheat, Mustard.

Characters Monocotyledonous Plant Dicotyledonous Plant

Single cotyledon Two cotyledons
Seed
Fibrous Root Well developed, Primary
Root
root (Tap root)
Hollow Ex- Bamboo Strong, Hard
Stem False Ex- Banana Ex: Banyan Tree
Disc-like Ex- Onion
Parallel venation Reticulate Venation
Leaf
Flower with 3 parts or in multiples of Flowers with 4 or 5 parts or
three (Trimerous) in their multiples
Flower
(Tetramerous or
Pentamerous)

Prepared by- Amol Sir