Insight: Why we need more non-seed plant models

There is much to be learned from comparing plant genomes, but as Rensing writes, currently available genomic data are skewed heavily towards angiosperms. He argues that a richer understanding of plant evolution depends upon gaining insights into the non-seed plants, including ferns, mosses and liverworts, but particularly the different lineages of charophyte algae, some of which share a common ancestor with land plants.  In addition to sequenced genomes, genetic tools such as genome editing and complementation assays will be needed to infer gene functional relationships. New Phytol.  10.1111/nph.14464