Science

Land plants' closest algal relatives evolved multicellular growth repeatedly, genetic analysis suggests

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Based on a feed excerpt; full article content has not been acquired. Source evidence retrieved 05/11/2026, 23:55:25 UTC.

Briefings

A research team led by the University of Göttingen and including Maastricht and Innsbruck, along with Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, examined Zygnematophyceae algae to identify their closest relatives to land plants. The study focused on filamentous forms like Spirogyra and single-celled variants, noting their significance in understanding plant evolution despite their simple morphology.

Key points

• The Zygnematophyceae, including Spirogyra and single-celled algae, are the closest living relatives of land plants.
• The study examined filamentous and single-celled forms to determine evolutionary relationships.

Context

This research investigates the evolutionary origins of multicellular growth in land plants by analyzing the morphology of their closest algal relatives, specifically Zygnematophyceae.

Limitations

The evidence is limited to a single research team's examination of specific filamentous and single-celled forms of Zygnematophyceae, with no broader comparative data or historical context provided.

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