KINGDOM

PLANTAE
Definition
Characteris
tics
Classificati
on
Group
KINGDOM PLANTAE

Kingdom Plantae includes all the plants on the e

arth. They are multicellular, eukaryotes and cons
ist of a rigid structure that surrounds the cell m
embrane called the cell wall. Plants also have a g
reen coloured pigment called chlorophyll t
hat is quite important for photosynthesi
s.
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS

1. They are eukaryotic and multicellular

2. Their cells have cellulose walls
3. Majority have transport system.
4. They have photosynthesis hence autotrophic.
5. Reproduction is both asexual and sexual
6. They show alternation of generation
CLASSIFICATION
A plant kingdom is a vast group; therefore, the kingdom is
further classified into subgroups. Levels of classification are
based on the following three criteria:
Plant body: whether the body has well-differentiated str
uctures or not.
Vascular system: whether the plant has a vascular sys
tem for the transportation of substances or not
Seed formation: whether the plant bears flowers and se
eds or not; if it does, then whether it is enclosed within fru
its or not.
Considering the three factors, the plant
kingdom has been classified into five
subgroups. They are as follows:

Thalloph Bryophyt
yta a
PteridopGymnospe
hyta rmsa
Angiospe
All the plants that lack a well-differentiated body
structure belong to the subgroup
THALLOPHYTA
Thallophytes: Primitive plants where the body is n
ot differentiated into stem, roots and leaves
Thallophytes commonly include members with pri
mitive and simple body designs such as green
algae and brown algae. The majority of them are
aquatic. Common examples are Spirogyra, Ch
ara, Ulothrix.
THALLOPHYTA

Spirogyra Chara Ulothrix

Bryophytes are an informal group consisting of three
divisions of non-vascular land plants: the liverworts,
hornworts and mosses
BRYOPHYTA

Small, non-vascular plants that prefer moist enviro

nments
Bryophytes have differentiated plant body like stem, le
af structures. But they lack a vascular system for the tran
sportation of substances across the plant body. Bryoph
ytes are found in both land and aquatic habitatshence are
known as amphibians of the plant kingdom. Mosses and
Marchantia belong to this subgroup.
BRYOPHYTA

Marchantia Mosses
Pteridophytes have well-differentiated structures such as
stem, root, leaves as well as a vascular system.
PTERIDOPHYTA

Pteridophytes: Spore-dispersing v
ascular plants
Ferns, horsetails, Marsilea are s
ome common examples of Pte
ridophytes.
PTERIDOPHYTA

Horsetails Marsilea
Ferns
Gymnosperms: Vascular plants that possess “exposed” seeds
GYMNOSPERMS

Gymnosperms are plants that have well-differentiated pla

nt body, vascular system and they bear seeds. The term is
derived from Greek words, gymno: naked and  sper
ma: seed. The seeds of gymnosperms are naked whic
h means they are not enclosed within a fruit. The perennia
l, evergreen woody trees belong to this group. Pines, de
odar, redwood are a few examples.
GYMNOSPERMS

Pines Redwood

Deodar
Angiosperms: Vascular plants that possess special
characteristics such as  flowers and fruits
ANGIOSPERMS

Angiosperms are also seed-bearing plants with well

-differentiated plant body. The word is derived from Greek
words: angio: covered and sperma: seed. Unlike gymnospe
rms, seeds of angiosperms are enclosed inside the fru
its. Angiosperms are commonly known as flowering plan
ts. Examples include the Mango tree and pomegranate
plant Seeds germinate from embryonic leaves called cotyl
edons.
ANGIOSPERMS

Depending on the number of cotyledons pre

sent in seeds, angiosperms are divided into two:
monocotyledons or monocots and dicotyle
dons or dicots.
ANGIOSPERMS

Pomegranate Plant
Mango Tree
Punica granatum
Mangifera indica
Cryptogams and Phan
erogams
CRYPTOGAMS AND PHANEROGAMS

The plant kingdom has also been classified into tw

o groups ‘cryptogams’ and ‘phanerogams’ based o
n their seed formation ability.
CRYPTOGAMS AND PHANEROGAMS

Cryptogams are plants that do not have well

-developed or conspicuous reproductive organs.
They have hidden reproductive organs and don’t p
roduce seeds. The thallophytes, the bryophytes an
d the pteridophytes are ‘cryptogams’. Re
production in all three groups occurs through spor
e formation.
CRYPTOGAMS AND PHANEROGAMS

Plants that have conspicuous reproductive org

ans and produce seeds are called phanero
gams. Gymnosperms and Angiosperms belong to
the group phanerogams.