Place the following groups of plants in order, beginning with those that first appeared on the earth and progressing toward those that appeared most recently in time-

Options

A. Gymnosperms, angiosperms, ferns, moss, algae
B. Algae, moss, ferns, gymnosperms, angiosperms
C. Moss, algae, ferns, angiosperms, gymnosperms
D. Algae, ferns, angiosperms, gymnosperms, Moss

Answer

To place the groups of plants in order from those that first appeared on Earth to those that appeared most recently, we will follow the evolutionary timeline of plant development. Here is the step-by-step solution:

1. **Identify the earliest group of plants**: The first group of plants to appear on Earth is **Algae**. Algae are simple, aquatic organisms that are primarily photosynthetic.

2. **Next group in the timeline**: After algae, the next group to evolve is **Bryophytes**, which include mosses and liverworts. Bryophytes are more complex than algae but still lack vascular tissues.

3. **Following Bryophytes**: The next group that emerged is **Pteridophytes**, which include ferns and horsetails. Pteridophytes are the first terrestrial plants that possess vascular tissues, allowing them to grow larger and thrive in various environments.

4. **Next in the sequence**: After Pteridophytes, the next group to appear is **Gymnosperms**. Gymnosperms are seed-producing plants that have naked seeds, meaning their seeds are not enclosed in an ovary.

5. **Most recent group**: The most recent group of plants to evolve is **Angiosperms**. Angiosperms are flowering plants that produce seeds enclosed within fruits, making them the most advanced group in terms of reproductive structures.

Thus, the correct order from the earliest to the most recent is:
1. Algae
2. Bryophytes (Mosses)
3. Pteridophytes (Ferns)
4. Gymnosperms
5. Angiosperms