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Plant Kingdom

NCERT Class 11 Biology Chapter 3

Plant Kingdom for Class 11 Biology and NEET: algae, bryophytes, pteridophytes and gymnosperms, their salient features, life cycles and examples.

5 topics Updated 8 Nov 2026

For: Class 11 and NEET, unless a topic says otherwise

In the syllabus: NEET Class 11 syllabus

With your textbook

NCERT Biology (Class 11), Chapter 3 “Plant Kingdom”, reprint 2026-27.

Open the official NCERT chapter (PDF, 5.2 MB, ncert.nic.in)

Checked on 19 Oct 2026.

Learn in this order

  1. Algae

    Algae for Class 11 Biology and NEET: features, examples, isogamy to oogamy, uses, and the green, brown and red algae compared, with labelled diagrams.

    NCERT Section 3.1 16 min read 6 solved examples 12 practice questions

  2. Bryophytes

    Bryophytes for Class 11 Biology and NEET: features, the moss life cycle, antheridia and archegonia, liverworts vs mosses, examples and uses, with diagrams.

    NCERT Section 3.2 12 min read 6 solved examples 12 practice questions

  3. Pteridophytes

    Pteridophytes for Class 11 Biology and NEET: features, the fern life cycle, the prothallus, heterospory, and the four classes, with examples and diagrams.

    NCERT Section 3.3 10 min read 6 solved examples 12 practice questions

  4. Gymnosperms

    Gymnosperms for Class 11 Biology and NEET: naked seeds, coralloid roots, mycorrhiza, male and female cones, fertilisation, and gymnosperms vs angiosperms.

    NCERT Section 3.4 12 min read 6 solved examples 12 practice questions

  5. Angiosperms

    Flowers and fruits, the size range and uses, and dicotyledons vs monocotyledons with examples and a labelled diagram.

    Class 11 only NCERT Section 3.5 9 min read 6 solved examples 12 practice questions

Key formulas in this chapter

Algae

  • algae: chlorophyll-bearing, simple, thalloid, autotrophic, largely aquatic
  • isogamy: gametes of the same size, flagellated or not
  • anisogamy: gametes of different sizes
  • oogamy: large non-motile egg + small male gamete (not always motile)
  • green: chlorophyll a, b; starch; cellulose; motile cells have 2–8 equal apical flagella
  • brown: chlorophyll a, c, fucoxanthin; mannitol, laminarin; cellulose, algin; 2 unequal, lateral
  • red: chlorophyll a, d, phycoerythrin; floridean starch; no flagella
  • algin: brown algae; carrageen and agar: red algae

Bryophytes

  • bryophytes: amphibians of the plant kingdom (water needed for fertilisation)
  • main plant body: gametophyte (n); sporophyte (2n) attached to it and fed by it
  • antheridium: biflagellate antherozoids; archegonium: flask-shaped, one egg
  • zygote (2n) → sporophyte (foot, seta, capsule) → meiosis → spores (n)
  • liverworts: dorsiventral thallus; gemmae in gemma cups
  • mosses: spore → protonema → leafy stage (lateral bud)

Pteridophytes

  • pteridophytes: first land plants with xylem and phloem
  • main plant body: vascular sporophyte (2n), usually with roots, stems and leaves
  • sporangia on sporophylls; compact sporophylls form strobili (cones)
  • spore mother cells → meiosis → spores (n) → prothallus (n)
  • fertilisation needs water; zygote (2n) → dominant sporophyte
  • heterosporous: megaspores → female, microspores → male gametophyte
  • classes: Psilopsida, Lycopsida, Sphenopsida, Pteropsida

Gymnosperms

  • gymnosperms: ovules and seeds naked (no ovary wall)
  • heterosporous: microspores (n) and megaspores (n)
  • male strobilus → microsporangia → pollen grain (reduced male gametophyte)
  • megaspore mother cell (2n) → meiosis → 4 megaspores; 1 → female gametophyte
  • female gametophyte: multicellular, two or more archegonia, inside the ovule
  • pollen by air → pollen tube → male gametes → zygote → embryo; ovule → seed

Angiosperms

  • angiosperms: ovules in flowers; seeds enclosed in fruits
  • gymnosperms: ovules exposed; seeds naked
  • dicotyledons: two cotyledons; usually reticulate venation and tap roots
  • monocotyledons: one cotyledon; usually parallel venation and fibrous roots
  • primary endosperm nucleus: 3n (triple fusion); zygote: 2n

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