Green Plants
KNOWN SPECIES
378,531
16.05% of our world's living things are green plants
CHARACTERISTICS
- cells contain chloroplasts and a green pigment
SIZE RANGE
microscopic to over 380 feet tall (less than 25 microns to over 115 meters)
WHERE THEY LIVE
on land, in fresh water, and in oceans
Here are just SOME of the world’s green plants:
![Sticker about size](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/green-plants/green_plant_size_sticker/5943367-2-eng-US/green_plant_size_sticker_full_495.png 495w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/green-plants/green_plant_size_sticker/5943367-2-eng-US/green_plant_size_sticker_full_990.png 600w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/green-plants/green_plant_size_sticker/5943367-2-eng-US/green_plant_size_sticker_full_1468.png 600w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/green-plants/green_plant_size_sticker/5943367-2-eng-US/green_plant_size_sticker_full_1980.png 600w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/green-plants/green_plant_size_sticker/5943367-2-eng-US/green_plant_size_sticker_full_2475.png 600w)
American rockbrake
SCIENTIFIC NAME:
Cryptogramma acrostichoides
![several fern fronds in a group](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/green-plants/green_plants_american_rockbrake/5940754-1-eng-US/green_plants_american_rockbrake_full_495.png 495w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/green-plants/green_plants_american_rockbrake/5940754-1-eng-US/green_plants_american_rockbrake_full_990.png 990w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/green-plants/green_plants_american_rockbrake/5940754-1-eng-US/green_plants_american_rockbrake_full_1468.png 1468w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/green-plants/green_plants_american_rockbrake/5940754-1-eng-US/green_plants_american_rockbrake_full_1980.png 1980w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/green-plants/green_plants_american_rockbrake/5940754-1-eng-US/green_plants_american_rockbrake_full_2475.png 1981w)
rosy periwinkle
SCIENTIFIC NAME:
Catharanthus roseus
![Several pink flowers with leaves](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/green-plants/green_plants_rosy_periwinkle/5940774-1-eng-US/green_plants_rosy_periwinkle_full_495.png 495w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/green-plants/green_plants_rosy_periwinkle/5940774-1-eng-US/green_plants_rosy_periwinkle_full_990.png 990w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/green-plants/green_plants_rosy_periwinkle/5940774-1-eng-US/green_plants_rosy_periwinkle_full_1468.png 1468w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/green-plants/green_plants_rosy_periwinkle/5940774-1-eng-US/green_plants_rosy_periwinkle_full_1980.png 1980w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/green-plants/green_plants_rosy_periwinkle/5940774-1-eng-US/green_plants_rosy_periwinkle_full_2475.png 2360w)
cassava plant
SCIENTIFIC NAME:
Manihot esculenta
![Single star-shaped leaf](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/green-plants/green_plants_cassava/5940766-1-eng-US/green_plants_cassava_full_495.png 495w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/green-plants/green_plants_cassava/5940766-1-eng-US/green_plants_cassava_full_990.png 990w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/green-plants/green_plants_cassava/5940766-1-eng-US/green_plants_cassava_full_1468.png 1468w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/green-plants/green_plants_cassava/5940766-1-eng-US/green_plants_cassava_full_1980.png 1980w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/green-plants/green_plants_cassava/5940766-1-eng-US/green_plants_cassava_full_2475.png 2400w)
yellow starthistle
SCIENTIFIC NAME:
Centaurea solstitialis
![Yellow flower with spikes](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/green-plants/green_plants_yellow_starthistle/5940778-1-eng-US/green_plants_yellow_starthistle_full_495.png 488w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/green-plants/green_plants_yellow_starthistle/5940778-1-eng-US/green_plants_yellow_starthistle_full_990.png 977w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/green-plants/green_plants_yellow_starthistle/5940778-1-eng-US/green_plants_yellow_starthistle_full_1468.png 1449w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/green-plants/green_plants_yellow_starthistle/5940778-1-eng-US/green_plants_yellow_starthistle_full_1980.png 1481w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/green-plants/green_plants_yellow_starthistle/5940778-1-eng-US/green_plants_yellow_starthistle_full_2475.png 1481w)
Jeffrey pine
SCIENTIFIC NAME:
Pinus jeffreyi
![Desert tree on rock](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/green-plants/green_plants_jeffrey_pine/5940770-1-eng-US/green_plants_jeffrey_pine_full_495.png 495w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/green-plants/green_plants_jeffrey_pine/5940770-1-eng-US/green_plants_jeffrey_pine_full_990.png 990w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/green-plants/green_plants_jeffrey_pine/5940770-1-eng-US/green_plants_jeffrey_pine_full_1468.png 1380w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/green-plants/green_plants_jeffrey_pine/5940770-1-eng-US/green_plants_jeffrey_pine_full_1980.png 1380w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/green-plants/green_plants_jeffrey_pine/5940770-1-eng-US/green_plants_jeffrey_pine_full_2475.png 1380w)
Boojum tree
SCIENTIFIC NAME:
Fouquieria columnaris
![Clip of desert tree](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/green-plants/green_plants_boojum_tree/5940758-1-eng-US/green_plants_boojum_tree_full_495.png 398w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/green-plants/green_plants_boojum_tree/5940758-1-eng-US/green_plants_boojum_tree_full_990.png 761w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/green-plants/green_plants_boojum_tree/5940758-1-eng-US/green_plants_boojum_tree_full_1468.png 761w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/green-plants/green_plants_boojum_tree/5940758-1-eng-US/green_plants_boojum_tree_full_1980.png 761w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/biodiversity/tree-of-life/green-plants/green_plants_boojum_tree/5940758-1-eng-US/green_plants_boojum_tree_full_2475.png 761w)
Guess what?
Green plants are very important to life on our planet! They use energy from sunlight to change carbon dioxide and water into chemicals that they need to survive and grow. This process is called photosynthesis. Green plants produce the oxygen in Earth’s atmosphere that much of life on Earth needs to survive.
Image Credits:
American rockbrake, © Henrik Kibak/CC BY-4.0; Boojum tree, © Wendy Cutler/CC BY-SA 2.0; cassava plant, Courtesy of Roger Harris, Jungle Photos; Jeffrey pine, Robert Potts/© California Academy of Sciences; rosy periwinkle, Courtesy of James A. Manhart; yellow starthistle, Courtesy of Peggy Greb, Agricultural Research Service.