Earth Science: Biology – Plants and Fungi
Just like the animal kingdom, plants and fungi also have their own independent kingdoms within the group of eukaryotes—organisms that have a nucleus. They were the first organisms that evolution brought onto land.
These first terrestrial organisms evolved into an extremely diverse group with an abundance of different adaptations to local environmental conditions. Plants include mosses as well as vascular plants such as huge sequoia trees, which may reach heights of up to about 360 feet (110 m).
The most important characteristic of almost all plants is their ability to generate organic material from light and inorganic substances through photosynthesis. With about 100,000 known species, fungi diversity is also impressive. Yeasts are considered the smallest fungi. Large fungi are much easier to see; they may reach a diameter of several hundred yards or meters.