BIOL108 Chapter Notes - Chapter 29: Non-Vascular Plant, Fern, Lycopodiopsida

• School: University of Alberta
• Department: Biology (Biological Sciences)
• Course: BIOL108
• Professor: Cynthia Friedman

Document Summary

Researchers have identified green algae called charophytes as the closest relative to land plants. The molecular and morphological evidence is as follows. They both have rings of cellulose synthesizing proteins. These proteins synthesize the cellulose microfibrils of the cell wall. Noncharophytes have such cells, but in a linear set. Then, they both have the same flagellated sperm structure. Also, they both have the formation of a phragmoplast. The phragmoplast is a group of microtubules that forms between the daughter nuclei of the dividing cells. The species of charophyte alga that inhabit the edges of shallow waters had to adapt to stay alive. They developed sporopollenin, which is a layer of durable polymer that keeps the exposed zygotes from drying. This adaptation led to a new terrestrial frontier with many benefits such as increased unfiltered sunlight, more co2, less pathogen/herbivores initially, more mineral contents, and so on.