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Multiple Choice
Land plants most likely evolved from which of the following groups?
A
Red algae (rhodophytes)
B
Brown algae (phaeophytes)
C
Green algae (charophytes)
D
Cyanobacteria
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the evolutionary relationship between land plants and algae. Land plants are part of the Plantae kingdom, which shares a common ancestor with certain groups of algae.
Recognize that green algae (charophytes) are the closest relatives to land plants. They share key traits such as cellulose in their cell walls, chlorophyll a and b for photosynthesis, and similar reproductive structures.
Eliminate other options by comparing their characteristics. Red algae (rhodophytes) and brown algae (phaeophytes) are more distantly related to land plants and lack many of the shared traits found in green algae.
Consider cyanobacteria, which are prokaryotic organisms and not true algae. While they contributed to the evolution of photosynthesis, they are not directly related to the evolution of land plants.
Conclude that green algae, specifically charophytes, are the group from which land plants most likely evolved, based on shared traits and genetic evidence.