Note: True effort to make phylogenetic information accessible. This project is open to community edits, and we would love high quality photo submissions.

Phylogenetic Tree Explorer

Time-calibrated chronogram of plant evolution. Horizontal axis shows millions of years ago (MYA). Drag to pan, scroll to zoom. Solid lines indicate published divergence ages; dashed lines indicate interpolated positions between known dates. Click internal nodes to expand or collapse branches.

Kingdom / Division Class / Subclass Order / Suborder Family (click to open page) published age inferred age

Understanding Plant Phylogeny

Plant phylogeny represents the evolutionary relationships between different plant groups. Modern plant classification is based on these evolutionary relationships, as determined through molecular, morphological, and developmental studies.

APG IV Classification

The Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (APG) IV classification is the current standard for flowering plant taxonomy. Published in 2016, it represents the most up-to-date understanding of plant evolutionary relationships based on molecular data. This tree follows the APG IV system for flowering plants, incorporating other classification systems for non-flowering plants.

Major Plant Groups

The plant kingdom is divided into several major groups, visualized in the tree:

  • Bryophytes: Non-vascular plants (mosses, liverworts, hornworts)
  • Pteridophytes: Vascular seedless plants (ferns, horsetails, club mosses)
  • Gymnosperms: Seed plants with "naked" seeds (conifers, cycads, ginkgo)
  • Angiosperms: Flowering plants with seeds enclosed in fruits

Using This Tree

This interactive phylogenetic tree allows you to:

  • Drag to pan and scroll to zoom
  • Click internal nodes to expand or collapse branches
  • Search for specific plant families using the search bar above
  • Click amber-ringed family names to view detailed information pages
  • Hover over any node to see full details and source citations