Answer: Pteridophytes.
- A Algae
- B Bryophytes
- C Pteridophytes
- D Angiosperms
Correct answer: C. Pteridophytes
Explanation: Pteridophytes (ferns, horsetails, club mosses) were the first plants to develop true vascular tissue (xylem and phloem) for water and food transport.
Plants evolved from water-dependent algae through increasingly land-adapted groups, gaining vascular tissue (Pteridophyta), then seeds (Gymnosperms), and finally fruit-enclosed seeds (Angiosperms) - each step reducing dependence on water for reproduction.
Concept context
Classification of plants from algae to angiosperms. Understanding plant diversity is essential for NEET.