Storiascopio · Era 1 of 12 · primary year 3
The first plants on land
about 475 million years ago · Coasts and wetlands
In short
The first land plants were small and lived in damp places, without real roots. They came from green algae and had to learn to cope with drought and strong light. The oldest evidence is tiny spores about 475 million years old; in Oman, bits of these plants have also been found with the spores still inside. Over time they developed tissues to carry water and stand upright.
Why it matters Conquering dry land prepared soils and habitats for animals and for the forests to come.
Source: Nature, 2003, “Fragments of the earliest land plants”
Where we are in the era “The Earth before us”
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about 13.8 billion years agoEvent 16 of 25about 66 million years ago
Your turn
Name ______________________ Class ______ Date __________
When did it happen? Find the date at the top and write it here:
Tell it in your own words: what happened?
Draw the scene below.
storiascopio.com/en/event/the-first-plants-on-land/ · free worksheet, you may photocopy it for your class