The origin of plants: Body plan changes contributing to a major evolutionary radiation

Abstract

Advances in charophycean and seedless plant phylogeny, together with progress in our understanding of the genetic control of meristem determination and function that is derived from analysis of higher plant mutants, set the stage for an improved understanding of fundamental aspects of plant body development and evolution. In this article, we have defined 11 early plant body plan innovations, identified issues that require further study and genes that may illuminate them, and suggested organismal systems likely to prove informative.