NCERT Class 11 Biology Chapter 5 Notes Morphology Of Flowering Plants- Download PDF Notes

Class 11 Biology Chapter 5 notes of the Morphology of Flowering Plants make students to explore the various parts of plant and their functions in the life cycle of flowering plants. This chapter focuses on understanding the diverse forms and structures of different plant organs, including roots, stems, leaves, flowers, and fruits. Each of these parts plays a unique and essential role in the growth, development, and reproduction of the plant. Morphology Of Flowering Plants Class 11 notes begins with the explanation of structure of root system and shoot system that forms the entire plant , along with their functions and characteristics with labelled diagrams. These notes also include the leaves, often referred to as the "food factories" of the plant, are specialized for photosynthesis, converting sunlight into energy provided by our experts in the most easiest and effective way possible.

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This Story also Contains

1. Detailed Notes for Chapter 5: Morphology Of Flowering Plants
2. Morphology of Flowering Plants
3. Important Topics for Class 11 Biology Chapter 5: Morphology of Flowering Plants
4. Most Important Questions for Class 11 Biology Chapter 5: Morphology of Flowering Plants
5. Approach to Solve Questions of Class 11 Biology Chapter 5: Morphology of Flowering Plants
6. NCERT Chapter-Wise Class 11 Notes Biology

Morphology of flowering plants NCERT Notes for Class 11 Biology help you revise these major concepts given in the NCERT Book in a short period of time during CBSE Board exam preparation. Through this detailed study of plant morphology, students gain a deeper understanding of how plants are adapted to their environment and how they carry out essential processes for survival. All the key concepts are included in these to gain enough information about the flowering plants and to score better marks in the upcoming exams and in further competitive exams. Having revision notes and NCERT Solutions for Class 11 Biology Chapter 5 handy is beneficial to save you time.

Also, students can refer to:

• NCERT Solutions for Class 11 Biology Chapter 5 Morphology of Flowering Plants
• NCERT Exemplar for Class 11 Biology Chapter 5 Morphology of Flowering Plants

Detailed Notes for Chapter 5: Morphology Of Flowering Plants

Going through the notes is essential for enhancing what you have learned and ensuring a deeper understanding of the subject matter. For this reason, detailed notes of this chapter are provided below.

Morphology of Flowering Plants

The plant kingdom consists of a great variety of individuals ranging from simple, minute, microscopic forms to highly developed and complex forms. The flowering plants are a dominant part of Earth’s vegetation and are highly evolved and structurally specialised. With 300,000 known species, flowering plants are the most diverse group of land plants. The body of a flowering plant can be divided into fundamental parts: (i) an underground root system and (ii) an above-ground shoot system. These two systems live under very different conditions; the root system grows downward, and the shoot system grows upward.

Parts of Flowering Plants:

Root System

The root is non-green, cylindrical and the downward part of the plant. It develops from the radical and is the first structure that comes out when a seed is placed in the soil.

Characteristics of the Root

1-The root is the descending portion of the plant and is usually devoid of chlorophyll.

2- Normally, it does not have any buds, but in some plants like sweet potato, it has buds that help in vegetative propagation.

3-It ends in and is protected by a cap known as a root cap.

4-It is not differentiated into nodes and internodes.

5- It is positively geotropic.

Functions of root

1. They take up water from the soil.

2. They move mineral salts from the soil water into the plant cells.

3. They are flexible and able to tolerate the strong pulling forces exerted when the wind blows.

4. In some plants, roots form the means by which the plant stores the food it needs over winter.

Parts of a Typical Root

The roots are mainly consists of four parts which are described below:

Root cap- The root is covered at the top by a cap or thimble-like structure. Most plants have a simple root cap but a multiple root cap is found in some plants.

Meristematic zone- This is the growing apex of the route that lies within but a little beyond the root cap. The cells of this are thin-walled with dense cytoplasm and large nuclei.

Zone of Elongation- This zone is situated just above the meristematic zone. The cells of this zone undergo rapid elongation and enlargement, and they are responsible for the growth of the root in length.

Zone of cell maturation- This zone lies above the region of elongation. The cells of this zone undergo maturation and differentiation into various kinds of primary tissues. This produces root hairs that increase the absorbing surface of the root.

Modifications of roots

• Roots are transformed to aid in storage, nitrogen fixation, aeration, and support.
• Carrot tap root, turnip tap root, and sweet potato's adventitious root swell to store food.
• Banyan's prop root and maize and sugarcane stilt root have supporting roots that emerge from the lower node of the stem.
• Pneumatophores help Rhizophora get oxygen for respiration because it grows in swampy areas.

The Shoot System: The Stem

The shoot is generally above ground, erect, and ascending axis of the plant body which develops from the plumule of the embryo. It is differentiated into nodes and internodes and bears leaves, branches, and flowers.

Characteristics of the stem

Some features of the stem are as follows:

1- The stem is the ascending portion of the plant.

2-The young stem is green and carries photosynthesis.

3- It bears both vegetative and floral buds.

4- It bears mostly multicellular hairs of various kinds, which are scattered over the whole surface.

5- It is positively phototropic.

6- It has distinct nodes and internodes.

Functions of stem

The stem carries out a variety of functions:

1. It provides support for the main body of the plant.

2. It supports leaves in such positions so that they can capture maximum sunlight.

3. It allows the transport of water, sugars, and other dissolved substances to the various parts of the plant.

4. In some plants, the stem forms how they store food.

Modifications of Stem:

• Stems can be modified to perform a variety of functions. Stems that are underground like Potato, ginger, turmeric, zaminkand, and Colocasia have been modified to store food.
• They also serve as organs of perennation, allowing them to survive in unfavorable growth conditions.
• Stem tendrils, which emerge from axillary buds and are slender and spirally coiled, aid in the climbing of plants such as gourds (cucumber, pumpkins, and watermelon) and grapevines.
• Stem’s axillary buds can also be transformed into woody, straight, and pointed thorns.
• Thorns can be found in a variety of plants, including citrus and bougainvillaea. They shield plants from grazing animals. Some arid-zone plants sculpt their stems into flattened (Opuntia) or fleshy cylindrical (Euphorbia) structures. They have chlorophyll and perform photosynthesis.
• Grass and strawberries, for example, spread their underground stems to new niches and when older parts die, new plants emerge. A slender lateral branch emerges from the base of the main axis in plants such as mint and jasmine and after growing aerially for a time arch downwards to touch the ground.
• Aquatic plants such as Pistia and Eichhornia have lateral branches with short internodes and each node contains a rosette of leaves and a tuft of roots.
• The lateral branches of bananas, pineapples, and Chrysanthemums emerge from the main stem's basal and underground portion, grow horizontally beneath the soil, and then emerge obliquely upward giving rise to leafy shoots.

The Leaf

The leaf is a flattened, lateral outgrowth of the stem or the branches, developing from a node and having a bud in its axil.

Characteristics of the leaf

The following are distinctive characteristics of leaves:

• They are lateral outgrowths of the stem.

• They arise at the nodes of the stem.

• They are exogenous in origin.

• They bear buds in their axil.

Functions of leaf

Leaves are green, usually flat structures with a large surface area exposed to the sun. Some important functions of the leaves are as follows:

• Leaves contain chlorophyll which is involved in the reactions of photosynthesis.

• They supply water and carbon dioxide to the site of photosynthesis.

• They have a transport system to remove the products of photosynthesis so that they can be carried out around the plant.

Parts of a leaf

A typical leaf is differentiated into three parts: the leaf base, petiole, and lamina.

Leaf base- The part of the leaf attached to the stem or branch is known as the leaf base. In some plants, like peas and other legumes, the leaf base is swollen.

Petiole - It is the part of the leaf that connects the lamina with the stem. When petIole is absent, the leaf is to be sessile. This part is usually cylindrical with a groove on its upper surface.

Lamina- It is the flat, thin, broad, green, and expanded portion of the leaf . The lamina is the most important part of the leaf since it is the seat of food manufacture for the entire plant.

Venation

The arrangement or disposition of veins in the leaf lamina is called venation. The two basic types of venation patterns are reticulate and parallel.

Reticulate venation- When veins are irregularly distributed to form a network, it is known as reticulate venation. This type of venation is a characteristic feature of dicots.

Parallel venation - When veins run parallel to each other and do not form a reticulum, it is known as parallel venation. It is a characteristic feature of monocotyledon leaves.

Types of Leaves

Depending upon the pattern of the lamina leaves may be simple or compound.

Simple leaves- In simple leaves, there is a single lamina, which is usually entire or sometimes insized, but incisions never reach up to the midrib.

Compound leaves - In compound leaves, incisions of the lamina reach up to the midrib, and the lamina is divided into several small segments known as leaflets. They are distinct and remain free from one another but are joined at the tip of the petiole.

Phyllotaxy

Phyllotaxy is the mode of arrangement or distribution of leaves on the stem and its branches. This arrangement is to make sure that leaves receive the maximum amount of sunlight. Three main types of phyllotaxis are observed in plants: alternate, opposite, and whorled.

Alternate- In alternate phyllotaxy, only one leaf is present at each node. Examples- china rose, mustard and sunflower.

Opposite- In this type of arrangement two leaves are present at each node, standing opposite to each other.

Whorled - In this type, more than two leaves are present at each node, forming a whorl, as in oleander and Galium, etc.

Modifications of leaves

Leaves are modified into various types, which are:

Leaf tendrils- Sometimes, leaves are modified into slender, often coiled structures known as tendrils, which help in climbing the plant.

Leaf spines- Leaves of certain plants become wholly or partially modified into sharp, pointed structures known as spines.

Pitcher- Leaves of some insectivorous plants like Nepenthes are modified into pitcher-lime structures to trap insects. The pitcher contains water and digestive juices, and it captures and digests small insects.

The Inflorescence

• An arrangement of more than one flower is known as an inflorescence.

• Inflorescences range in size from minute to huge, with a few to a very large number of flowers.

• Many flowers in an inflorescence are pollinated by a single visit of an insect. Therefore, it increases the chances of pollination and abundant seed production.

• Based on the order of development of flowers within a cluster, two basic types of inflorescences, racemose and cymose, have been recognized.

Racemose inflorescence - In this type, the floral axis shows growth, producing flowers in the order with the oldest flower at the lowest and youngest at the uppermost.

Cymose inflorescence- In this, the growth of the main axis is determinate that is, the development of the first flower limits the apical growth of the main axis, and the other flowers are formed in another sequence.

The Flower

• Flowers are the most beautiful parts of the plants. Morphologically, the flower is considered a shoot in which sepals, petals, stamens, and carpels are lateral organs. It is meant for sexual reproduction.

• A typical flower has four sets of organs known as accessory organs and an inner set known as essential organs.

• The accessory organs are sepals, which together form the calyx and petals that make up the corolla.

• The essential organs of the flower are the stamens, which form the androceiu,m and the carpels, which together form the gynoecium.

Parts of a flower

Calyx: The calyx is the outermost whorl of the flower and the members are called sepals. Generally, sepals are green and leaf-like and protect the flower in the bud stage. Sepals are of two types :

Polysepalous- When the sepals are free, example - Brassica.

Gamosepalous- When the sepals are fused, example - Dianthus.

Corolla: The Corolla is composed of petals. Petals are usually brightly coloured to attract insects for pollination. There are two types:

Polypetalous - When the petals are free, example Brassica.

Gamopetalous- When the petals are united, example Ipomoea.

Androceium: (i)The androecium consists of one or more stamens, the male reproductive structures of the flower.

(ii) The stamen is a typically slender organ and consists of two parts, the filament and the anther.

(iii) The anther usually consists of four microsporangia, which contain many pollen grains.

Gynoecium: (i) The gynoecium, made up of one or more carpels, is the female reproductive organ of the flower.

(ii) The carpel is divided into an ovule-bearing part, the ovary; a pollen-receptive part, the stigma; and a sterile part, the style.

(iii) The ovary has one or more chambers known as locules.

Important Terms in the Description of Flower

Given below are some important terms that are used to describe different types of flowers and their characteristics.

Complete and incomplete flowers

Complete- A flower having all the four whorls, that is, the calyx, corolla, androecium, and gynoecium, is called complete.

Incomplete- If one or more whorls are missing in a flower, then it is said to be incomplete.

Symmetry

In symmetry, flowers may be actinomorphic, zygomorphic, and asymmetric.

Actinomorphic- When a flower can be divided into exactly equal halves by a vertical section in any plane, it is said to be actinomorphic. Example - Tomato, mustard.

Zygomorphic- When a flower can be divided into two similar halves by a vertical section in one plane only, it is said to be zygomorphic. Example- pea

Asymmetric- When a flower cannot be divided into two halves by any vertical plane, it is said to be asymmetric. Example- Maranta.

Relative position of Floral parts on the Thalamus

On the basis of the relative position of floral parts on the thalamus, flowers are of three kinds:

Hypogynous- The flower is said to be hypogynous if sepals, petals, and stamens are inserted below the ovary. Example- mustard.

Perigynous- In rose, the thalamus forms a cup shaped structure around the ovary and sepals, petals and stamens appear to be inserted. Such flowers are known as perigynous.

Epigynous- When the thalamus completely encloses the ovary and fuses with the ovary wall and sepals, petals and stamens seem to rise above the ovary, the flower is said to be epigynous. Example- apple.

Aestivation

The mode of arrangement of sepals/ petals in a floral bud with respect to the other membranes of the same whorl is said to be aestivation. The following types of aestivation have been recognized.

Valvate - When the members of a whorl are in contact with each other by their margins, without overlapping or turning. Example- Mustard.

Twisted- When the members of a whorl are rolled up in such a way that one margin of a member covers a margin of the next member and the other is covered by the one before it. Example- Hibiscus.

Imbricate- In imbricate aestivation, one member of the whorl is exterior, one interior, and the rest three having one margin exterior and one margin interior. Example- Cassia

Vexillary - Of the five petals, the posterior one is the largest and nearly covers the two lateral petals which in turn overlap the two smallest anterior petals. Example- pea.

Placentation

The arrangement of ovules within the ovary is referred to as placentation. There are several varieties of placentation which are marginal, axile, parietal, basal, central, and free central.

• The placenta forms a ridge along the ventral suture of the ovary in marginal placentation, and the ovules are carried in two rows on this ridge, as in pea.
• The placentation is considered to be axile when the placenta is axial and the ovules are linked to it in a multilocular ovary, as in the china rose, tomato, and lemon.
• Ovules form on the inner wall of the ovary or on the peripheral region in the parietal placentation.
• The placentation is called free central when the ovules are carried on the central axis with no septa, as in Dianthus and Primrose.
• As in sunflower and marigold, the placenta forms at the base of the ovary and is connected to a single ovule in basal placentation.

Representation of floral formula

(A) The floral formula is written in coded form, and it enables us to work out the structure of the flower.

(B) A floral diagram and a floral formula are offered after discussing various components of the plant.

(C) Br stands for bracteate, K for calyx, C for corolla, P for perianth, A for androecium, G for Gynoecium, G for superior ovary, and Ḡ for inferior ovary; ♂ for male, ♀ for female, ⚥ for bisexual plants, ⊕ for actinomorphic, and % for zygomorphic flower. Fusion is represented by enclosing the figure within a bracket, and adhesion is represented by a line drawn above the floral part symbols.

(D) A dot on the top of the floral diagram indicates the position of the mother axis in relation to the flower.

(E) The calyx, corolla, androecium, and gynoecium are drawn in whorls, with the calyx on the outside and the gynoecium in the centre.

The Fruit

• The fruit is a mature or ripened ovary.

• It is formed after fertilization, which provides a stimulus to the ovary to grow into a fruit.

• A fruit consists of a pericarp that develops from the ovary wall and a seed derived from the ovule. The pericarp may be thin or thick.

• The pericarp is differentiated into epicarp, a middle mesocarp, and an inner endocarp.

• When a fruit develops exclusively from the ovary, it is said to be a true fruit. Mango, guava, grapes, etc., are common examples of true fruits.

• But when, in addition to the ovary, some other floral parts like tepals, bracts or thalamus also participate in the formation of the fruit, then it is said to be known as false fruit. Apples, pears, ananas, etc., are some well-known examples of false fruits.

The Seed

• The seed is a fertilized mature ovule that possesses an embryonic plant, usually stored food material, and a protective coat.

• The seed remains attached to the placenta through a small stalk-like structure known as a funicle.

• Based on the number of cotyledons present, seeds are classified into (i) dicotyledonous seeds and (ii) monocotyledonous seeds.

Structure of a dicot seed:

The dicot seeds have two cotyledons and are covered by a hard seed coat.

Seed coat - The seed coat has two integuments, the outer testa and the inner tegmen. The testa is reddish black and thick, while the tegmen is whitish and thin.

Embryo- The entire fleshy body, as seen after removing the seed coat, is the embryo of the baby plant. It consists of two fleshy cotyledons and a short axis to which the cotyledons remain attached laterally. The radicle and the plumule are located at the two extremities of the embryonal axis.

Structure of monocot seed:

The maize grain is a monocot seed where the pericarp is fused with the seed coat.

Seed coat- It is represented by a thin layer that surrounds the grain. This layer is made up of the seed coat and pericarp fused together.

Endosperm- Inside of it, the grain is divided into unequal portions, endosperm and embryo. The larger portion, which lies towards the broader side of the grain, is endosperm.

Embryo- It consists of a single cotyledon and a short axis. The upper part of the axis with minute leaves is known as the plumule, and the lower part is called the radicle.

Subject Wise NCERT Exemplar Solutions

• NCERT Exemplar Class 11 Solutions
• NCERT Exemplar Class 11 Maths
• NCERT Exemplar Class 11 Physics
• NCERT Exemplar Class 11 Chemistry
• NCERT Exemplar Class 11 Biology

Important Topics for Class 11 Biology Chapter 5: Morphology of Flowering Plants

Some key topics covered in this chapter include:

1. The Root

2. The Stem

3. The Leaf

4. The Inflorescence

5. The Flower

6. The Fruit

7. The Seed

8. Semi-technical Description of a Flowering Plant

9. Description of some Important Family Descriptions

Subject Wise NCERT Solutions

• NCERT Solutions for Class 11 Mathematics
• NCERT Solutions for Class 11 Chemistry
• NCERT Solutions for Class 11 Physics

• NCERT Solutions for Class 11 Biology

Most Important Questions for Class 11 Biology Chapter 5: Morphology of Flowering Plants

Below are a few solved questions:

Q1. Name the body part modified for food storage in the following

(a) Carrot

(b) Colocasia

(c) Sweet potato

(d) Asparagus

(e) Radish

(f) Potato

(g) Dahlia

(h) Turmeric

(i) Gladiolus

(j) Ginger

(k) Portulaca

Answer:

The modifications are given below-

(a) Tap Root

(b) Stem

(c) Adventitious Roots

(d) Root

(e) Tap Root

(f) Stem

(g) Adventitious Roots

(h) Stem

(i) Stem

(j) Stem

(k) Adventitious Roots

Q2. Match the following and choose the correct option

Column I Column II

A. Aleurone layer i. without fertilisation

B. Parthenocarpic fruit ii. Nutrition

C. Ovule iii. Double fertilization

D. Endosperm iv. Seed

Answer:

The correct answer is 'A- (iv), B-(i), C-(iii), D - (ii)

Aleurone layer - a layer of protein storage cells, present in cereal, maize seed, and is a form of reserved food material.

Parthenocarpic fruit - when the ovary is stimulated to form fruit without fertilization, then it is a parthenocarpic fruit

Example: seedless grapes, watermelon

Ovule- contains the embryo sac with the egg cell, synergids, polar nuclei and antipodal cells. In angiosperms, the pollen tube releases two male gametes, of which one fuses with the egg cell to form the zygote, while the other fuses with the polar nuclei to form triploid PEN

Endosperm- PEN develops into endosperm, which provides nutrients to the developing embryo.

Q3. Which plant is used to extract the indigo blue dye?

Answer:

Indigo is a natural blue dye historically derived from the plant Indigofera, most commonly Indigofera Tinctoria a genus of flowering plants in the Family Fabaceae.

Q4. Endosperm, a product of double fertilization in angiosperms is absent in the which seeds?

Answer:

The endosperm may be completely consumed by the developing embryo (e.g., pea, groundnut, beans) before seed maturation. Such seeds are called non-endospermic or exalbuminous. It may persist in the mature seed (e.g. castor and coconut) and be used up during seed germination. Such seeds are called endospermic or albuminous. The embryo in the orchid plant absorbs the endosperm during growth.

Q5. What are the roots developed from parts of the plant other than the radicle called?

Answer:

Plant roots known as adventitious roots can emerge from any non-root tissue, including the stem, leaves, or subterranean structures. They may occur as a result of stressors or as a result of regular development. Some adventitious roots—also referred to as aerial roots—either hang in midair or travel a considerable distance through the atmosphere before touching down.

Approach to Solve Questions of Class 11 Biology Chapter 5: Morphology of Flowering Plants

The students should focus on understanding the basic structural terms and standard examples that are used in the NCERT. They should pay attention to root, stem, leaves, inflorescence, flowers, fruits and seeds, along with their modification and examples. Memorising the important terms with diagrams will help in writing concise answers. They should solve a variety of MCQ and other questions to get used to the minor differences between the structures of the plant. They should practise labelling diagrams neatly, as many questions in NEET and board exams involve diagram-based identification and explanation.

NCERT Chapter-Wise Class 11 Notes Biology

The chapter wise notes are given below: