Kingdom Plantae Classification

The Kingdom Plantae contains about billion types of plants species and it
was very difficult to identify different types of species. Many biologists
contributed in classifying different plants species in to their separate
kingdom.
Based on their classification, plants are divided into the four main groups.
These classifications was based on

The presence of vascular tissue.

The absence of vascular tissue.

The presence of seeds.

The absence of seeds.

Vascular tissue and the seeds are mainly considered as they play a vital
role in:
Vascular tissue helps in transporting substances (water, minerals and
sugars) throughout the plant.
Seeds are structures, which contains an embryo that helps in storing food.

BRYOPHYTA:MOSSES

PTERIDOPHYTAE: FERNS

1.Phylum Bryophyta(Mosses): Non-Vascular Plants

Mosses and allies, or related species (Bryophyta and allies)

Mosses or bryophyta are non-vascular. They are an important foundation

plant for the forest ecosystem and they help prevent erosion by carpeting
the forest floor. All bryophyte species reproduce by spores not seeds,
never have flowers, and are found growing on the ground, on rocks, and
on other plants.
Originally grouped as a single division or phylum, the 24,000 bryophyte
species are now grouped in three divisions: Mosses (Bryophyta),
Liverworts (Hepatophyta), and Hornworts (Anthocerotophyta). Also
included among the non-vascular plants is Chlorophyta , a kind of freshwater algae.

They are non-vascular land plants, which do not contain any

conducting tissues and are often referred to as bryophytes.

These plants are small, grow close to the ground and include
mosses and liverworts.

They are very small in structure and are considered as important

members of our ecosystem.

The reproduction process is carried in their spores. They are non

flowering plant and are found mainly growing on the ground, on
other plants and on rocks.

They play a vital role in preventing soil erosion.

Phylum bryophyta e.g.: Mosses, Liverworts and Hornworts.

Mosses

2. Phylum Pteridophytae(Ferns) : Vascular Plants with Spores

Ferns and allies (Pteridophyta and allies)
Unlike mosses, ferns and related species have a vascular system, but like
mosses, they reproduce from spores rather than seeds. The ferns are the
most plentiful plant division in this group, with 12,000 species. Other
divisions (the fern allies) include Club mosses or Lycopods
(Lycopodiophyta) with 1,000 species, Horsetails (Equisetophyta) with 40
species, and Whisk ferns (Psilophyta) with 3 species.

They are seedless vascular plants, which contain vascular tissues

but do not produce seeds.

They are involved in transportation of fluids.

The reproduction process is carried by spores.

Phylum pteridophytae e.g.: horsetails, ferns and club mosses.

Horsetails

3.Phylum Gymnosperms: Vascular Plants with Seeds

Conifers and allies (Coniferophyta and allies)
Conifers and allies (Coniferophyta and allies) Conifers reproduce
from seeds, but unlike plants like blueberry bushes or flowers where
the fruit or flower surrounds the seed, conifer seeds (usually cones)
are naked. In addition to having cones, conifers are trees or shrubs
that never have flowers and that have needle-like leaves. Included
among conifers are about 600 species including pines, firs, spruces,
cedars, junipers, and yew. The conifer allies include three small
divisions with fewer than 200 species all together: Ginko
(Ginkophyta) made up of a single species, the maidenhair tree; the
palm-like Cycads (Cycadophyta), and herb-like plants that bear
cones (Gnetophyta) such as Mormon tea.

Gymnosperms are non-flowering plants with undeveloped seeds,

which are present in an enclosed structure.

Phylum gymnosperms e.g: palms, carpet lawns, etc.

Palms

4.Phylum Angiosperms: Flowering Plants (Magnoliophyta)

The vast majority of plants (around 230,000) belong to this category,
including most trees, shrubs, vines, flowers, fruits, vegetables, and
legumes. Plants in this category are also called angiosperms. They differ
from conifers because they grow their seeds inside an ovary, which is
embedded in a flower or fruit.

Angiosperms are flowering plants, which develops the seeds within

a protective structure.

The reproduction process is carried by Angiosperm.

They develop their seeds within an ovary, which itself is embedded

in a flower. After the stage of fertilization, the flower falls and the
ovary bulges to become a fruit.

Angiosperms have two types: Monocot and Dicot.

Monocot begins with a single seed-leaf. The main veins of their

leaves are usually parallel and unbranched. Monocot plays an
important role in providing us with our primary sources of nutrition,
which includes grains, fruits, etc.

Dicot grows into two seed-leaves (cotyledons).

An angiosperms leaf consists of a single, branched, main vein, which
originates from the base of the leaf blade. In few plants, it may also
consist of four or more main veins diverging from the same base.

Phylum angiosperms e.g.: trees, shrubs, vines and flowers.

Vines