The plant and animal kingdoms actually represent five distinct groups, according to scientists who announced discoveries that fundamentally alter long-standing theories about the evolution of plants.
Current texts say land plants evolved from saltwater plants.
Scientists involved in the study presented their work Wednesday in St. Louis at the 16th International Botanical Congress. The group has produced the most complete tree of life of any group of living things on the planet. Their findings are important because evolutionary relationships among plants are crucial in knowing how plants work. Understanding this allows researchers to examine chemicals in plants for their medicinal value. One of those kingdoms, fungi, is more closely related to animals than to plants.