Angiosperm Evolution
Woody angiosperms probably developed first from early woody
gymnosperms and then plants that die down each year (herbs)
gradually evolved. How one group evolved from another is not
at all clear. There are many cases where distantly-related
life forms develop a common characteristic independently and
so look as if they are closely related. This is called
"parallel evolution". Most botanists agree that Magnolias
represent fairly primitive flowering plants and orchids (like
the one shown) are highly evolved, but looked at as a whole
the "evolutionary tree" is more of a tangled bush.
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