Note: While this visualization represents a large selection of plant families, it does not include every known family. This is a ture effort to make phylogenetic information more accessable to anyone, and exists as a critique of the open tree of life. All information is accurate to the best of my knowledge. My goal with this project is to open it up to a system of community edits

Phylogenetic Tree Explorer

Explore the evolutionary relationships between plant families in this interactive visualization. The tree is organized according to the latest APG IV classification system, showing how plant families are related through their evolutionary history. Click nodes to expand or collapse branches. Use search to find specific families.

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:

  • Zoom and pan to explore different parts of the tree
  • Click on nodes to expand or collapse branches
  • Search for specific plant families using the search bar
  • Click on linked family names to view detailed information pages
  • Hover over nodes to see full names (if truncated)