Maharashtra Board Class 9 Science Chapter 6-

Important Questions & Answers

1. Match the proper terms from columns A and C with the description in column B.

A B C

Thallophyta Seeds are formed in fruits. Fern

Bryophyta No natural covering on seeds. Cycas

Pteridophyta These plants, mainly grow in water. Tamarind

Gymnosperms These plants need water for reproduction. Moss

Angiosperms Tissues are present for conduction of water and food Algae

Answer:

A B C

Thallophyta These plants, mainly grow in water. Algae

Bryophyta These plants need water for reproduction. Moss

Pteridophyta Tissues are present for conduction of water and food. Fern

Gymnosperms No natural covering on seeds. Cycas

Angiosperms Seeds are formed in fruits. Tamarind

2. Write the characteristics of subkingdom Phanerogams.

Answer: Phanerogams are plants that have special structures for reproduction and generate
seeds. Based on whether the seeds are enclosed in a fruit or not, phanerogams are classified
into gymnosperms and angiosperms.

Division I – (Gymnosperms)

Mostly evergreen, perennial and woody, Gymnosperms bear male and female flowers on
different sporophylls of the same plant. Their stem does not have branches and their leaves
form a crown. Seeds from these plants do not have any natural coverings. They do not
produce fruits and so the name (gymnos: naked, sperms: seeds). Examples- Cycas, Picea
(Christmas tree), Thuja (Morpankhi), Pinus (Deodar) and so on.

Read further about gymnosperms here.

Division II- Angiosperms

When you soak the seeds of corn, beans, groundnut, tamarind, mango, wheat, and more in
water for 8 to 10 hours, check each seed to see whether it divides into two equal halves or
not. The flowers that these plants produce are their reproductive organs and it develops into
fruits. Seeds are formed within fruits. Thus, these seeds are covered; hence, they are called
angiosperms (angios: cover, sperms: seeds). Meanwhile, the plants whose seeds can be
divided into two equal halves or dicotyledons are called dicotyledonous plants and those
whose seeds cannot be divided into equal parts are called monocotyledonous plants.

More about angiosperms discussed here.

3. Distinguish between monocots and dicots.

Answer: The plants whose seeds can be divided into two equal halves or dicotyledons are
called dicotyledonous plants and those whose seeds cannot be divided into equal parts are
called monocotyledonous plants. Given below are the two points that help to distinguish
between dicots and monocots:

Dicotyledonous plants Monocotyledonous

Seed Two cotyledons Single cotyledon

Root Primary root (Tap root) that are well developed Fibrous roots
Stem Strong, hard. Ex. Banyan tree Hollow, Ex. Bamboo

False, Ex. Banana

Disc-like, Ex. Onion.

Leaf Reticulate venation Parallel venation

Flower Flowers with 4 or 5 parts or in their multiples Flowers with 3 parts or in multiples of three
(tetramerous or pentamerous) (trimerous).

4. Write a paragraph in your own words about the ornamental plants called ferns.

Answer: Belonging to the Pteridophyta group, ferns have well developed roots, stem and
leaves and even separate tissues for conduction of food and water. However, they do not
produce flowers and fruits. They reproduce with the help of spores that are formed along the
back or posterior surface of their leaves. These plants reproduce asexually using the spore
formation method and sexually via zygote formation. The conducting system they have is
well-developed.

Examples are ferns such as Nephrolepis, Marsilea, Pteris, Adiantum, Equisetum, Selaginella,
Lycopodium and so on.

Know in detail about Pteridophyta here.

5. Sketch, label and describe the Spirogyra.

Answer: Spirogyra is a part of Thallophyta group and grows mainly in water. They do not
have specific parts such as root-stem-leaves-flowers, but are autotrophic due to the presence
of chlorophyll. They are known as algae. Microscopic or large, they can also be unicellular or
multicellular. Some of these are found in fresh water while some are found in saline water.
These plants usually have a soft and fibre-like body. Keep learning more
about Thallophyta here.
6. Write the characteristics of the plants belonging to division Bryophyta.

Answer: Known as the ‘amphibians’ of the plant kingdom, Byrophyta need water for
reproduction, even if they grow in moist soil. Thalloid, multicellular and Autotrophic, these
plants reproduce by spore formation. The plant body of bryophytes is flat, ribbon-like long
and has no true roots, stem and leaves. Instead, they have stem-like or leaf-like parts and
root-like rhizoids. They do not have specific tissues for conduction of food and water.
Examples are Moss (Funaria), Marchantia, Anthoceros, Riccia, and so on.

7. Sketch and label the figures of the Marchantia and Funaria.

Answers:
8. Which criteria are used for the classification of plants? Explain with reasons.

Answers: One of the main criteria for classification of plants is the presence or absence of
organs. Presence or absence of separate conducting tissues for conduction of water and food
and so on are also other criterion. Another aspect is to see if the plants produce seeds or not.
In case they do, then they need to check if the seeds are enclosed in a fruit or not. Finally,
plants are also classified based on the number of cotyledons in the seeds. Other factors
considered include the absence or presence of flowers, fruits and seeds. The plants are
classified as cryptogams or phanerogams. Based on whether seeds are enclosed within a fruit
not, phanerogams are classified as gymnosperms and angiosperms. Angiosperms are then
further classified as monocots or dicots depending upon the number of cotyledons in seeds.

9. Why have plants become autotrophic?

Answer: Plants have become autotrophic because they can perform photosynthesis with the
help of chlorophyll.

10. Which are the group of autotrophic living organisms having eukaryotic cells?

Answer: Plants are the group of autotrophic living organisms that have eukaryotic cells with
cell walls.
11. Who classified Kingdom Plantae into two subkingdoms? What were they?

Answer: Eichlet, a botanist in 1983, classified the Kingdom Plantae into two subkingdoms-
the cryptogams and the phanerogams, which are considered for plant classification.

12. What is the similarity between the plants of the groups Thallophyta, Bryophyta and
Pteridophyta irrespective of differences in their body structure?

Answer: Thallophyta, Bryophyta and Pteridophyta, all reproduce by spore formation. They
are known as cryptogams as their reproductive organs cannot be seen. (cryptos: hidden,
gams: reproductive organs).

13. What are phanerogams?

Answer: Phanerogams are plants that have special structures for reproduction and they
produce seeds. In these plants, after the process of reproduction, seeds are formed that
contain the embryo and stored food, which is used for the initial growth of the embryo,
during germination of the seed. Also, according to if the seeds are enclosed in a fruit or not,
phanerogams are divided into gymnosperms and angiosperms.

14. During germination of the seed, what are the stored food in the seed of the
phanerogams used for?

Answer: During germination of the seed, the stored food in the seed of the phanerogams is
used for the initial growth of the embryo.

15. Which group of plants reproduce with the help of spores?

Answer: Pteridophyta do not produce flowers and fruits. They reproduce with the help of
spores that are formed along the back or posterior surface of their leaves.

16. Name some examples of ferns.

Answers: Examples of ferns are Nephrolepis, Marsilea, Pteris, Adiantum, Equisetum,

Selaginella, Lycopodium and so on.

17. How do Pteridophyta reproduce?

Answer: These plants use spore formation method to reproduce asexually, while sexually
they reproduce by zygote formation.

18. Give some examples of Algae.

Answer: Examples of algae are Spirogyra, Ulothrix, Ulva, Sargassum, and so on.

19. Other than algae, what other organisms belong to the Thallophyta group?

Answer: Other than algae, other organisms that belong to the group include several types of
fungi like yeasts and moulds that do not have chlorophyll.

20. What is Spirogyra?

Answer: Green fibres that are from the water with the spirally arranged green thread-like
chloroplasts in its cells are called Spirogyra.

21. Which are plants from the group of autotrophic living organisms?

Answer: The group of autotrophic living organisms that have eukaryotic cells with cell walls
is the group of plants.

22. Why are Bryophyta called the ‘amphibians’ of the plant kingdom?

Answer: Bryophyta group of plants is called the ‘amphibians’ of the plant kingdom as they
grow in moist soil, nevertheless need water for reproduction.

23. Which are the root-like structures of the plant body of bryophytes?

Anwer: The structure of the plant body of bryophytes that is root like is the rhizoids.

24. To which group does the garden plants like Cycas belong to?

Answer: Cycas belong to Gymnosperms.

25. What are the examples of Angiosperms?

Answer: Corn, beans, groundnut, tamarind, mango, wheat and so on are examples of
Angiosperms.