The Evolution of Plants: the series
We live on a green planet. Today we may take them for granted, but plants are the most important living things on Earth. Their colonization of land made it possible for all animal life to survive, from the smallest ants to the largest dinosaurs. What were the first of these tough, green pioneers? And how did they find their way onto land in the first place?
DIRECTION · Nick Garland
ILLUSTRATION · Franz Anthony
WRITING · Vasika Udurawane
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Rhynie Chert
The Rhynie chert is a site in Scotland known for its fossils that date back to 410 million years ago. Fossils found at this site represent the earliest life forms that grew on land, including the gigantic Prototaxites which was likely a fungus.
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Late Devonian Forest
The early forests of Late Devonian altered the environment, forcing animals to adapt. Creatures like Tiktaalik, a transitional animal showing traits of both fish and amphibians, lived in this period.
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Braidwood Biota
During the Age of Coal, Mazon Creek's landscape was dominated by gigantic clubmosses, horsetails, and ferns. These plants purified the atmosphere and allowed bugs to grow far larger than they are today.
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Yixian Flora
The Yixian Formation of China is known for its exquisite preservation of fossils. Notable plants like the aquatic early flower Archaefructus and the ancient buttercup Leefructus are found alongside familiar plants like conifers and ginkgos.
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Cenozoic Grasslands
Around 30 million years ago, grasslands started to spread across the globe. These plants grew hardier, forcing mammals from tiny rodents to big grazers like horses to adapt and diversify.
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