Streptophyta

The composition of the clade varies considerably between authors, but the definition employed here includes land plants and all green algae except the Chlorophyta and the more basal Prasinodermophyta.

Streptophyta
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Clade:	Diaphoretickes
(unranked):	Archaeplastida
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Streptophyta Jeffrey 1967, sensu Leliaert et al. 2012
Subdivisions
Klebsormidiophyceae Phragmoplastophyta Charophyceae Coleochaetophyceae Zygnematophyceae Embryophyta
Synonyms
Anthocerotophyta Sluiman 1985 Charophyta Migula 1897 sensu Lewis & McCourt 2004; Karol et al. 2009 Streptobionta Kenrick & Crane 1997 sister: chlorophyta

The composition of Streptophyta and similar groups (Streptophytina, Charophyta) varies in each classification.^{[citation needed]} Some authors include only the Charales and Embryophyta (e.g., Streptophyta, Streptophytina Lewis & McCourt 2004), others include more groups (e.g., Charophyta Lewis & McCourt 2004; Karol et al. 2009^{[citation needed]}; Adl et al. 2012, Streptophyta; de Reviers 2002; Leliaert et al. 2012, Streptobionta Kenrick & Crane 1997^{[citation needed]}; some authors use this broader definition, but exclude the Embryophyta, e.g., Charophyta Leliaert et al. 2012^{[citation needed]}, Charophyceae Mattox & Stewart, 1984^{[citation needed]}, Streptophycophytes de Reviers, 2002^{[citation needed]}).

The clade Streptophyta includes both unicellular and multicellular organisms. Streptophyta contains the freshwater charophyte green algae and all land plants that reproduce sexually by conjugation. Mesostigma viride, a unicellular green flagellate alga may be a basal Streptophyte.

These earlier classifications have not taken into account that the Coleochaetophyceae and the Zygnemophyceae appear to have emerged in the Charophyceae + Embryophyta clade, resulting in the synonymy of the Phragmoplastophyta and Streptophytina/Streptophyta sensu stricto (a.k.a. Adl 2012) nomenclature.

Jeffrey, 1967

• Streptophyta
  • Charales
  • Embryophyta

Lewis & McCourt 2004

• Division Charophyta (charophyte algae and embryophytes)
  • Class Mesostigmatophyceae (mesostigmatophytes)
  • Class Chlorokybophyceae (chlorokybophytes)
  • Class Klebsormidiophyceae (klebsormidiophytes)
  • Class Zygnemophyceae (conjugates)
    • Order Zygnematales (filamentous conjugates and saccoderm desmids)
    • Order Desmidiales (placoderm desmids)
  • Class Coleochaetophyceae (coleochaetophytes)
    • Order Coleochaetales
  • Subdivision Streptophytina
    • Class Charophyceae (same as the Smith system, 1938)
      • Order Charales (charophytes sensu stricto)
    • Class Embryophyceae (embryophytes)

Leliaert et al. 2012

• Streptophyta
  • charophytes
    • Mesostigmatophyceae
    • Chlorokybophyceae
    • Klebsormidiophyceae
    • Charophyceae
    • Zygnematophyceae
    • Coleochaetophyceae
  • Embryophyta (land plants)

Adl et al. 2012

• Archaeplastida Adl et al. 2005^{[citation needed]}
  • Chloroplastida Adl et al. 2005 (Viridiplantae Cavalier-Smith 1981)
    • Chlorophyta Pascher 1914, emend. Lewis & McCourt 2004
    • Charophyta Migula 1897,^{[citation needed]} emend. Karol et al. 2009 (Charophyceae Smith 1938, Mattox & Stewart 1984)
      • Chlorokybus Geitler 1942^{[citation needed]}
      • Mesostigma Lauterborn 1894^{[citation needed]}
      • Klebsormidiophyceae van den Hoek et al. 1995^{[citation needed]}
      • Phragmoplastophyta Lecointre & Guyander 2006^{[citation needed]}
        • Zygnematophyceae van den Hoek et al. 1995, emend. Hall et al. 2009^{[citation needed]}
        • Coleochaetophyceae Jeffrey 1982^{[citation needed]}
        • Streptophyta Jeffrey 1967
          • Charophyceae Smith 1938, emend. Karol et al. 2009 (Charales Lindley 1836; Charophytae Engler 1887)^{[citation needed]}
          • Embryophyta Engler 1886, emend. Lewis & McCourt 2004 (Cormophyta Endlicher 1836; Plantae Haeckel 1866)^{[citation needed]}

Adl et al. 2019

• Archaeplastida Adl et al. 2005^{[citation needed]}
  • Chloroplastida Adl et al. 2005^{[citation needed]} (Viridiplantae Cavalier-Smith 1981)^{[citation needed]}
    • Phylum Streptophyta [Charophyta]
      • Chlorokybus atmophyticus
      • Mesostigma viridae
      • Family Klebsomidiophyceae
      • Class Phragmoplastophyta
        • Family Zygnemataceae
        • Order Coleochaetophyceae
        • Family Characeae
        • Kingdom Embryophyta

Below is a reconstruction of Streptophyta relationships, based on genomic data.

The newly found streptofilum appears to bring in a new branching