LIFE SCIENCES

GRADE 11
2024

TERM ONE
TOPIC: BIODIVERSITY OF PLANTS

MR S FENNI
CLASSIFICATION OF PLANTS

Kingdom Plantae

Bryophytes Pteridophytes Gymnosperm Angiosperm

EVOLUTION OF THE PLANT GROUPS
 Evolution is a gradual process that
causes changes in the
characteristics in a population
across many successive
generations.
 A phylogenetic tree is a branching
diagram that shows the
evolutionary relationships between
organisms.
 The organisms that appeared first
(ancestors) are found at the base
of the ‘trunk’ of this tree.
 The lines of the phylogenetic tree
show the lines of descent
EVOLUTION OF THE PLANT GROUPS
 Group A, B and C all descended
from the common ancestor E.

 Group E gave rise to groups A and

D.

 Group D gave rise to groups B and

C.

 Group B and C are closely related.

 Group A and Group B are not as

closely related as Group B and C
PHYLOGENETIC TREE
FOUR PLANT GROUPS

1. Bryophytes- mosses, liverworts, and hornworts

2. Pteridophytes-ferns

3. Gymnosperms- conifers, cycads, ginkgo biloba and pine tree

4. Angiosperms- flowering plants

1. BRYOPHYTES
Examples:
Mosses, liverworts & hornworts

Structure:
1. Thallus plant: no true roots,
stems or leaves
2. Gametophyte is dominant
3. Leave-like structures, stem
like structures and rhizoid
4. No xylem and phloem tissues
1. BRYOPHYTES
 Sperm cells and egg liverwort
cells in male and female
reproductive organs.
 Spores: spread through
wind
 No seeds
 Do not bear fruit
 Needs water for
reproduction
2. PTERIDOPHYTES
• Not thallus: true leaves, roots
and stem

• Sporophyte generation is
dominant

• Gametophyte: Prothallus Horsetails

• Roots: adventitious roots Fern

• Leaves: monocot leaves (sessile

leaves) & dicot leaves (attached
to petiole) Whisk fern
2. PTERIDOPHYTES
• Vascular plants: Possess xylem and
phloem

• Sperm cells and egg cells on

prothallus

• Do not produce seeds and fruit.

Fern
• Needs water for reproduction

• Reproduce both sexually and asexually

by spores produced in sporangia
arranged in sori under the leaf
3. GYMNOSPERM
• Not thallus: true roots, stem and leaves
• Sporophyte dominant
• Leaves: needle shaped
• Male cone: in groups, smaller, carries pollen grains
• Female cones: larger cones, carries ovary
• Stem: woody
Cycads

Ginkgophytes
3. GYMNOSPERM
• Vascular plants: Possess xylem and phloem
• Produce spores and naked seeds
• Do not bear fruit
• Does not need water for reproduction
• Seeds are spread through wind
Gnetophytes Conifers
4. ANGIOSPERMS
1. Not thallus: true roots, stem and
leaves
2. Sporophyte dominant
3. Vascular plants: possess xylem
and phloem
4. Male and female spores
5. Produces seeds within fruit
6. Bear fruit
7. Does not need water for
reproduction
8. Seeds are spread through wind,
water, insects and other animals
TYPES OF REPRODUCTION
1. ASEXUAL REPRODUCTION
• Occurs when there is only one parent that gives rise to an offspring
which has the identical genetic makeup of the parent.

• It occurs in most single celled organisms such as bacteria and some

multicellular organisms such as fungi and some plants.
1. ASEXUAL REPRODUCTION
ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
1. Only one parent is 1. All the offspring are genetically
required.
2. Asexual reproduction is identical, if conditions become
quicker because the parent unfavourable, they will all die.
does not need to find a
mate. 2. Poor characteristics in the
3. All the offspring are parents will be passed on to the
identical and if conditions
offspring.
are favourable, they can
crowd out any competition. 3. Rapid multiplication by asexual
4. Asexual reproduction does reproduction may lead to
not rely on pollinators or
dispersion agents. overcrowding.
2. SEXUAL REPRODUCTION
Involves the combining of genetic information from two parents to
produce a new organism that is a combination of both parents.
ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
1. The offspring are 1. It is energy costly.
genetically different 2. Courtship is time and
2. The offspring are able to resource consuming.
withstand a variety of 3. Two parents are required.
conditions. 4. Plants that reproduce
3. Farmers can select sexually rely on pollinating
organisms with desirable agents and dispersal
characteristics and agents to spread their
cross-breed with them. seeds.
REPRODUCTIVE STRUCTURES OF A PLANT: FLOWERS
 Reproduction in all biotic factors must occur to ensure that the
species survive.

 Flowers undergoes sexual reproduction.

 Flowers have the following functions:

 contain and protect the reproductive organs

 attract pollinators.
REPRODUCTIVE STRUCTURES OF A PLANT: FLOWERS
 The flower is made up of 4
whorls:
a. Calyx
b. Corolla
c. Androecium
d. Gynaecium
 Since it has all four whorls
it is called a complete
flower.
1. CALYX
• The calyx is the outermost
whorl of the flower.
• It is made up of sepals.
• All the floral parts are
attached to a receptacle.

FUNCTIONS OF THE
SEPALS:
• Make food by
photosynthesis.
• Protect the inner whorls of
the flower, especially in
the bud stage.
2. COROLLA
 Corolla is the second whorl
of the flower.
 It is made up of brightly
coloured petals.
 There are five petals.

FUNCTION OF THE PETALS:

 It attracts pollinating agents.
 The calyx and corolla are
collectively known as
perianth.
3. Androecium
 Androecium is the male
whorl of the flower.
 It is made up of
stamens.
 A stamen is made up of
2 parts:
1. the anther and
2. the filament.
 The anther consists
pollen sacs that
contain pollen grains.
4. GYNAECIUM
 Gynaecius is the
female whorl of the
flower.
 It is made of floral
whorls called carpels
that fuse together
form the pistil.
 The pistil is made up
of 3 parts:
1. stigma,
2. style and
3. ovary.
POLLINATION AND FERTILIZATION
 Pollination is the transfer of ripe pollen grains from the anther to the
stigma of a flower.
 THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF POLLINATION
1. Cross pollination: the
pollen grains from the
anther of one flower is
transferred to the stigma
of another flower.
2. Self pollination: the
pollen grains from the
anther of one flower is
transferred to the stigma
of the same flower.
ADAPTATIONS OF FLOWERS FOR POLLINATION
• Flowers show a variety of adaptations to ensure that pollination takes
place.
• Insects such as butterflies, bees and moths visit flowers for pollen
and nectar which they use as food.
• When the insects visit the flowers, the pollen becomes attached to
their bodies and this transferred to the stigma of the next flower they
visit.
CHARACTERISTICS OF INSECT POLLINATED FLOWERS
• Flowers are brightly coloured.
• The flowers are usually large.
• Some flowers give off pleasant smells to
attract insects such as bees, butterflies and
months; others give unpleasant smell to
attract insects such as flies.
• Some flowers such as Iris have hairs or
special markings which lead the insects to
the nectaries which produce the nectar.
• The pollen grains are sticky or rough so that
they can become attached to the insects.
• Sweet scent to attract moths and butterflies.
CHARACTERISTICS OF BIRD POLLINATED FLOWERS
• Have long tube-shaped
flowers
• Bright red and yellow flowers
• Produce large quantities of
dilute nectar
• Stamens and stigmas
protrude beyond the petals
• Open during the day
• Little or no scent because
birds have a poor sense of
smell
CHARACTERISTICS OF WIND POLLINATED FLOWERS
• The flowers are usually small, green,
with reduced scent and nectar
• They produce a large amount of pollen to
increase the chances of pollination since
most of the pollen does not find its
‘target’(the stigma of another flower of
the same species)
• Filaments of the stamens are long and
thin so that they can sway in the wind.
• The anthers are attached to their
filaments in such a way that they are
easily moveable
• The stigma is large and sticky to trap as
pollen as possible