Have you ever seen green algae?
They are green, and give the same vibe as plants.
But are they plants?
The answer is no.
Although green algae are not considered plants, they are still a very diverse group of organisms that share a ton of similarities with plants. The most obvious similarity between green algae and plants has to do with their photosynthetic capabilities and (for the most part) their green color. This has to do with both plants and green algae having very similar chloroplasts in regard to their structure and pigment composition. Additionally, like plants, some green algae are multicellular, terrestrial, and/or share precise morphological similarities such as the structure of their flagellated sperm.
If they are so similar, what makes them different?
Despite all these similarities, scientists are currently withholding the title of plants from green algae mainly due to five key traits all land plants possess that a main group of green algae (charophyte algae) lack. These traits are alteration of generations, multicellular, dependent embryos, walled spores produced in sporangia, multicellular gametangia, and apical meristems. Even though these traits are unique to plants when compared to charophyte algae, the other main group of green algae, chlorophyte algae, has certain species that share some of these traits with plants such as alteration of generations. Where the boundary is drawn when it comes to dividing plants from algae is a very hard decision and is still under debate to this day.
So next time you see algae, remember that they are not plants, but rather a completely unique and diverse group of species that have special traits that even plants don't have.
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