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Chlorophytes & Streptophytes
Chlorophytes & Streptophytes
The viridiplantae are a clade of "green plants." This includes green algae (sensu lato) which are a diverse group of marine algae. During Earth's history, saltwater green algae evolved to survive in freshwater, forming the charophyte lineage. Over time, these freshwater algae radiated to survive in almost every freshwater env't (lakes, ponds, vernal pools, glaciers). Those populations that evolved to survive frequent drying gave rise to the land plants probably during the Cambrian.
Features
Features
The Viridiplantae share the following features:
Autotrophic organisms
Possess chlorophyll a and b
Green algae store energy as starch
Mostly freshwater; some marine & terrestrial
Some have a haplo-diplontic lifecycle, and others are haplontic, and others are diplontic
Geologic Age
Geologic Age
Mesoproterozoic - present
Classification
Classification
Within Viridiplantae, there is a split between the larger group of green algae called the Chlorophytes and a group of green plants called the Streptophytes, which includes some freshwater green algae as well as land plants
└Viridiplantae (Plants)
Above: Ulva life cycle: sporophyte (lower left) produces spores through meiosis; spores germinate into gametophytes; mature gametophytes produce +/- gametes; gametes are released are fertilize/fuse with each other; Zygote grows into a sporophyte
Additional Reading
Additional Reading
Scientists reveal structural mechanism behind photosystem II in green algae (Phys.org 8Jul2025)
└Wang et al. (2025) Roles of multiple TEF30-associated intermediate complexes in the repair and reassembly of photosystem II in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii
Green algae-based systems improve wastewater recycling for rural and regional communities (Phys.org 4Jul2025)
└Sabatte et al. (2025) High-rate algal ponds operated as sequencing batch reactors: Towards wastewater treatment with filamentous algae
Rare Chlorophycean Alga Growth From Human Tissue Sample (MedPageToday 6Mar2015)
Chlorophycean algae maybe some of the longest surviving organisms on Earth, 34 Ka (Lowenstein et al. 2011)
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