In this lab, you will conduct independent research to investigate the origin and subsequent evolutionary history of the plants and their relatives. To complete this assignment, you may gather information from the text of lab primer, your textbook, live and preserved specimens, prepared microscope slides, and your instructor. Use live or preserved specimens when possible for your illustrations.
Below are links to information and several galleries of plant photos that will assist you in completing "The Origin and Evolution of Plants" assignment in The Biology Lab Primer: evolution and the diversity of life. Plants are currently considered to be part of the supergroup within Eukarya, Archaeplastida. All members of this group are photosynthetic and include unicellular, colonial, and multicellular organisms. The major groups of this supergroup are glaucophyte algae, green algae, red algae, stoneworts, and plants.
- Phylum Glaucophyta (Glaucophyte Algae)
- Phylum Rhodophyta (Red Algae)
- Phylum Chlorophyta (Green Algae)
- Class Charophyceae (Stoneworts)
- Class Embryophyceae (Land Plants)
- Phylum Marchantiophyta (Liverworts)
- Phylum Bryophyta (True Mosses)
- Phylum Anthocerotophyta (Hornworts)
- Class Lycopodiopsida (Club Mosses)
- Class Psilotopsida (Whisk Ferns)
- Class Polypodiopsida (True Ferns)
- Class Equisetopsida (Horsetails)
- Superdivision Spermatophyta (Seed Plants): Gymnosperms and Angiosperms
- Class Cycadopsida (Cycads)
- Class Ginkgoopsida (Ginkgo Trees)
- Class Pinopsida (Conifers)
- Class Gnetopsida (Gnetophytes)
- Division Angiospermae (Flowering Plants)
- Class Magnoliopsida (Dicotyledons)
- Class Liliopsida (Monocotyledons)