Plants have basic needs, such as sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water, in order to survive and conduct photosynthesis. Photosynthesis allows plants to manufacture glucose and store it as a chemical energy.

Lack of water allowed plants to develop adaptations that would make them conserve water and draw out water from the soil. These adaptations prevent the plants from drying out.

Plants undergo a life cycle with an alternation of generations. In this process, a sporophyte undergoes a diploid phase wherein meiosis produces spores, and it alternates with a haploid phase wherein a gametophyte produces reproductive cells or gametes.

The leaves are growing aboveground in order to harness sunlight, which is needed by the plants for photosynthesis. On the other hand, the roots of the plants help in drawing out water and nutrients from the soil.

According to scientists, the pattern that is observed in plant evolution is the relative sizes of the haploid and diploid stages between plants. This trend is characterized by a decrease in the size of the gametophyte and an increase in the size of the sporophyte.

Here are the main adaptations which allowed the plants to thrive and conquer the land:

1. Roots and other specialized tissues – gives the plants the ability to draw water and nutrients from the soil
2. Stem and vascular tissues – support the body that holds the leaves for photosynthesis and transport nutrients in other parts of the plants
3. Stomata and waxy cuticle – facilitates in gas exchange and water retention to prevents the plants from drying out
4. Embryo retention – the embryo develops inside the female plant, which gives the plants the ability to reproduce without water and to protect it from harsh environmental factors.
5. Fruits and flowers – They provide a reproductive advantage to plants by protecting and dispersing the seeds.