NCERT based Plant Kingdom NOTES and MCQs for NEET Ug 2025 l Part - I

 Kingdom Plantae includes: 

1. Algae

2. Bryophytes

3. Pteridophytes

4. Gymnosperms  

5. Angiosperms

There are three types of classification systems: 

1. Artificial  classification systems  ( given by Linnaeus)

• They used only gross superficial morphological characters such as 

→ habit

→ colour

→ number and shape of leaves

• They were based mainly on

→ vegetative characters                                or

→ the androecium structure 

• These systems separated the closely related species as they were based on a few characteristics. 

• The artificial systems has given equal weightage to 

→ vegetative and 

→ sexual characteristics;

 Which is not acceptable because 

→ the vegetative characters are more easily affected by environmental factors. 

2. Natural classification systems 

• They were based on natural affinities among the organisms

• They consider, not only the external features, but also internal features, like 

→ ultrastructure

→ anatomy

→ embryology and 

→ phytochemistry

                 This type of classification for flowering plants was given by

→ George Bentham     &

→ Joseph Dalton Hooker

3. Phylogenetic classification systems 

• Theses are based on

→ evolutionary relationships between the various organisms 

• Theses are acceptable at present 

• This assumes that organisms which belong to the same taxa have a common ancestor. 

Now  information from many other sources is also used to help resolve difficulties in classification. These sources become more important when there is no supporting fossil evidence present. 

Branches of Taxonomy:

1. Numerical Taxonomy

• It  is 

→ easily carried out using computers

→ based on all observable characteristics. 

• All characters are assigned unique numbers and codes before  processing the data.

• Each character is given equal importance 

• Hundreds of characters can be considered simultaneously.

2. Cytotaxonomy

• cytotaxonomy  is based on cytological data such as

→ chromosome number

→ structure

→ behaviour 

3. Chemotaxonomy

• It uses the chemical components of the plant .

MCQs :

1. Which of the following are included in Kingdom Plantae?

   a) Algae

   b) Fungi

   c) Pteridophytes

   d) Gymnosperms

2. Artificial classification systems, proposed by Linnaeus, primarily focus on:

   a) Cytological information

   b) Molecular data

   c) External morphological characters

   d) Phylogenetic relationships

3. Which of the following statements about artificial classification systems is true?

   a) They consider both external and internal features of organisms.

   b) They used only gross superficial morphological characters 

   c) They are based on natural affinities among organisms.

   d) They assign unequal importance to vegetative and sexual characteristics.

4. Natural classification systems emphasize:

   a) Artificial characters

   b) Morphological traits only

   c) External features, Internal features and natural affinities

   d) Vegetative characters

5. The classification system proposed by George Bentham and Joseph Dalton Hooker is an example of:

   a) Artificial classification

   b) Natural classification

   c) Phylogenetic classification

   d) Numerical taxonomy

6. Phylogenetic classification systems are based on:

   a) Evolutionary relationships

   b) Artificial characters

   c) Vegetative characteristics

   d) External features only

7. Numerical taxonomy is advantageous because:

   a) It is based on observable characteristics

   b) It considers only a few characters at a time

   c) It does not assign equal importance to all characters

   d) It relies on subjective judgment

8. Cytotaxonomy is primarily concerned with:

   a) Chemical components of plants

   b) Chromosome number and structure

   c) External morphological characters

   d) Phytochemistry

9. Chemotaxonomy relies on:

   a) Evolutionary relationships

   b) Chromosome behavior

   c) Chemical components of plants

   d) Molecular data

10. Which branch of taxonomy is easily carried out using computers?

   a) Numerical taxonomy

   b) Cytotaxonomy

   c) Chemotaxonomy

   d) Phylogenetic taxonomy

Answer Key:

1. b) Fungi

2. c) External morphological characters

3. b) They used only gross superficial morphological characters 

4. c) External features, Internal features and natural affinities

5. b) Natural classification

6. a) Evolutionary relationships

7. a) It is based on observable characteristics

8. b) Chromosome number and structure

9. c) Chemical components of plants

10. a) Numerical taxonomy 

Also Read:

• Analysis of chemical composition of living organisms
• The Living World - NOTES