CBSE Quick Revision Notes (Class-11 Biology)

CHAPTER-05 MORPHOLOGY OF FLOWERING PLANTS

Morphology is the branch of biological science that deals with the study of form, size, colour,
structure and relative position of various parts of organisms.
Importance of morphologya.
Knowledge of morphology is essential for recognition or identification of plants.
b. It gives information about the range of variations found in a species.
c.
Deficiency and toxicity symptoms are morphological changes that occur in response to
shortage or excess of minerals.
Parts of Flowering PlantsAll the flowering plants have roots, stem, leaves,
flower and fruits. The underground parts of flowering
plant are the root system and the portion above the
ground forms the shoot system.
The Root
In Dicotyledons, elongation of radicle forms the
primary roots which bears lateral roots of several
orders called secondary roots, tertiary roots etc.
primary roots along with lateral roots forms the Tap
root system. Mustard, Gram etc.
In monocotyledons, primary root is replaced by large
number of roots at its base of stem to constitute the Fibrous root system. Wheat, rice
etc.
The roots that arise from other parts of plant beside radicle are called adventitious
roots. Example- Grass, Banyan tree, Maize etc.
The main function of root system are absorption of water and minerals from soil,
providing proper anchorage to the plant parts and storing reserve food materials.
Regions of Roots

The apex of root is covered by a thimble like

structure called root cap, it protect the tender
apex of root while making way through soil.
Above the root cap is region of meristematic
activity having small cells with dense cytoplasm.
The cells above the region of meristematic
activity is region of elongation where cells
under elongation and enlargement to increase the
length of root.

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Region of maturation contain root hairs that help in absorption of water and
minerals.
Modification of roots- Roots are modified for storage, nitrogen fixation, aeration and
support.
Tap root of carrot, turnip and adventitious root of sweet potato get swollen to store
food.
Prop root of Banyan and Stilt root of maize and sugarcane have supporting root coming
out from lower node of stems.
In Rhizophora, Pneumatophores help to get oxygen for respiration as it grows in
swampy areas.
Fleshy
Tap roots

Conical

Fusiform

Napiform

Carrot

Radish

Turnip

The Stem
The ascending part of axis bearing branches, leaves, flowers and fruits. It develops
from Plumule of the embryo.
Stem bears nodes and internodes. The region of stem where leaves are born called
nodes and portion between two nodes are called internodes.
The main function of stem is spreading branches, bearing leaves, flowers and fruits. It
also conducts water and minerals from root to leaves and product of photosynthesis.
Some stem perform special functions like storage of food, support, protection and
vegetative propagation.
Modification of stemsUnderground stem of potato, ginger and turmeric are modified to store food. They also
act as organ of perennation in unfavorable conditions.
Stem tendril help plants to climb as in cucumber, pumpkins, and grapes.
Axillary buds of stem may modify into woody, straight and pointed thorns as in Citrus
and Bougainvillea.
Plants of arid regions modify their stem to flatted (Opuntia), fleshy cylindrical
(Euphorbia) having chlorophyll for photosynthesis.
Undergound Stem
Modification

Sucker
mint,
Chrysanthemum

Rhizome

Corm

Tuber

Bulb

Ginger

Colocasiia

Potato

Onion, Garlic

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The Leaf

Leaf is a green, dissimilar exogenous lateral

flattened outgrowth which is borne on the node of a
stem or its branches is specialized to perform
photosynthesis.

Leaves originate from shoot apical meristem and are

arranged in an acropetal order.

A typical leaf consists of three parts- Leaf base,

Petiole, Lamina. Leaf is attached with stem by Leaf Base which may bear two small leaf
like structure called stipule.

Middle prominent vein is called mid vein. Veins provide rigidity to the leaf blade and
act as channel for transport of water and minerals.
The arrangement of vein and veinlets in the lamina is called venation.
Reticulate venation
Parallel venation
a.
Veinlets form a near network.
a.
A network is absent.
b. Veins are irregularly distributed.
b. Veins are parallel to on another.
c.
It is present in all Dicotyledons c.
It is present in Monocotyledons
like Gram, Pea, Beans, and Mango
like Grass, Banana, Rice etc.
etc.

Types of
Leaves

Compound
Leaves

Pinnately
compound Leaves

Simple Leaves

Palmately Compound
Leaves

A leaf having a single or undivided lamina is called Simple leaf. The incisions do not
touch the mid rib. Example- Mango, Guava etc.
When the incision of lamina reach up to the midrib and breaking it into a number of
leaflets called Compound leaves.
In a Pinnately compound leaves, a number of leaflets are present on common axis
called rachis. Example- Neem.

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In Palmately compound leaves, the leaflets are attached at common point. ExampleSilk cotton.
The pattern of arrangement of leaves on the stem or branch is called Phyllotaxy.
In alternate type of phyllotaxy single leaf arise at each node as in China rose.
In opposite types of phyllotaxy a pair of leaves arise from each node opposite to each
other as in Guava.
If more than two leaves arise at a node and form a whorl is called whorled type of
phyllotaxy as in Alastonia.
Leaves are modified to perform other function like converted to tendril for climbing as
in Peas and spines for defence in Cactus.

Inflorescence
The arrangement of flowers on the floral axis is termed as inflorescence. Two main types of
inflorescence are racemose and cymose.
Racemose
Cymose
a. The main axis continuous to a. Main axis terminates in flower
grow.
having limited growth.
b. Flowers are borne laterally in b. Flowers are borne in a basipetal
an acropetal succession.
succession.
c. Example- Radish, Mustard.
c.
Example- Jasmine, Bougainvillea.

The flower
Flower is the reproductive part of angiospermic plants for sexual means of

reproduction. A typical flower has four whorls arranged on a swollen end of stalk or
pedicel called thalamus. They are Calyx, Corolla, Androecium and Gynoecium.
When a flower have both androecium and gynoecium, the flower is called bisexual and
flower having either androecium or gynoecium only is called unisexual.
When flower can be divided into two equal radial halves in any radii passing through
center the symmetry of flower is called actinomorphic (radical symmetry) as in
Mustard, Datura, and Chili.
When flower can be divided into two similar parts only in one vertical plane it is
zygomorphic as in Pea, Gulmohar, Cassia etc.
Floral appendages are in multiple of 3,4 or 5 they are called trimerous, tetramerous
and pentrmerous respectively. Flower with reduced small leaf at the base of pedicel
are called bracteates and without it ebrateate.
Based on the position of ovary with respect to other floral part on thalamus flowers are
of following types-

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Hypogynous Perigynous
Epigynous
a. Hypogynous flower- Ovary occupies the highest position. The ovary in such case is
called superior. Eg. Mustard, brinjal and china rose.
b. Perigynous flowers If the gynoecium is situated at the centre and other parts are on
the rim at same height. Ovary is called half-inferior.
c.
Epigynous flowers- The margin of thalamus grows to completely cover the ovary.
Ovary is said to be inferior.
Calyx is the outermost whorls of the flower; its members are called sepals. They are
generally green and leafy; protect the flower in bud stage. It may be gamosepalous
(sepals united) or polysepalous (sepals free).
Corolla consists of petals, brightly coloured to attract the insects for pollination. They may
be gamopetalous or polypetalous.
The mode of arrangement of sepals or petals in floral bud with respect to the other
members of same whorl is called aestivation. In valvate, the whorls of sepals or petals
touch each other as in Calotropis. In Twisted aestivation, the whorls overlap each
other as in China rose.
In Imbricate aestivation, margin overlap each other but not in particular fashion as in
Gulmohur. In Vaxillary aestivation, in five petals largest overlap the other two laterally
and in turn two smaller are overlapped by the two above as in Pea and Bean flowers.

Valvate
Twisted
Imbricate
Vexillary
The Androecium

Androecium represent the male reproductive parts of flower, consists of stamens. Each
stamen consists of filament and anther. Pollen grains are produced in pollen sac. Sterile
stamen is called Stemenode.
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When stamens are attached with petals it is called epipetalous (Brinjal). Stamen may
be free (polyandrous) or may be united in one bundle (monoadelphous), two bundles
(diadelphous), more than two (polyadelphous).
The Gynoecium

Female reproductive part of flower consists of one or more carpels. Each carpel is
made up of stigma style and ovary.

When more than one carpel is present, it may be free (apocarpous) as in lotus and
rose or fused together (syncarpous) as in mustard and tomato.

After fertilisation, ovules change into seeds and ovary mature into fruits.
Placentation
The arrangement of ovules within the ovary is called placentation.
Placentation

Marginal

Axle

Parietal

free Central

Basal

pea

China rose

Mustard

Dianthes

Sunflower

The fruit
Mature and ripened ovary developed after fertilisation is fruit. If a fruit is formed
without fertilisation of ovary it is called parthenocarpic fruit.
Fruit consists of seeds and pericarp. Thick and fleshy pericarp is three layered called
epicarp, mesocarp and endocarp.

Dicotyledonous Seed is made up of a seed coat and an embryo. Embryo is made up of

embryonal axis, radicle and cotyledons.
Seed coat has two layers outer testa and inner tegmen. Hilum is scar through which
seed is attached to the ovary. Small pore above the hilum is called micropyle.

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Monocotyledonous seeds

In monocotyledonous seed, outer covering of endosperm separate the embryo by a

protienous layer called aleurone layer.

Single cotyledon is called as scutellum having a short axis bearing Plumule and radicle.

Plumule and radicle are closed inside sheaths called as coleoptile and coleorhiza
respectively.
Family FabaceaeThis family was earlier known as Papilionoideae. Herbs, shrubs or trees root with root
nodules. Pinnately compound leaves with reticulate venation.

Plants belonging to this family are sources of pulses like Gram, Arhar, Bean. Pea etc. edible
oils, like groundnut, soybean etc.
Family SolanaceaePlant body herbs or shrubs, rarely small trees, commonly known as potato family.
Leaves simple or pinnately compound. Reticulate venation.

Many of them are source of food ( potato, tomato, Brinjal etc.), spices (Chilli) etc.
Family Liliaceae
Commonly known as Lily family. Monocots, perennial herbs. Leaves alternate with
parallel venation.
Underground bulbs, corms or rhizomes.
Flower bisexual, actinomorphic, sepals and petals are absent, having perianth.

It includes ornamental plants ( Tulip), Medicine (aloe) and vegetable (colchicine).

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