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Charophyte evolution and the origin of land plants

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Origins of Algae and their Plastids

Part of the book series: Plant Systematics and Evolution ((SYSTEMATICS,volume 11))

Abstract

Morphological, biochemical, and molecular data strongly suggest a common ancestry of land plants and Charophyceae sensu MATTOX & STEWART. Although it is now widely accepted that the Charophyceae are a sister group to the land plants, there is considerable disagreement over the systematics of different charophycean taxa and whether a Chara- or Coleochaete-like alga was ancestral to the land plants. Comparative analyses of complete 18S rRNA gene sequences of charophycean algae, together with sequences from bryophytes, pteridophytes and higher plants now confirm a common ancestry of charophytes and land plants. These data suggest that the Charales diverged early into a separate lineage, whereas other orders within the Charophyceae show close affinities to the bryophytes.

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Authors
  1. Volker A. R. Huss
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  2. Harald D. Kranz
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, USA

    Debashish Bhattacharya

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© 1997 Springer-Verlag Wien

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Huss, V.A.R., Kranz, H.D. (1997). Charophyte evolution and the origin of land plants. In: Bhattacharya, D. (eds) Origins of Algae and their Plastids. Plant Systematics and Evolution, vol 11. Springer, Vienna. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7091-6542-3_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7091-6542-3_5

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Vienna

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-211-83035-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-7091-6542-3

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