Are all red and brown algae multicellular, eukaryotic, photosynthetic autotrophs? I don't know why but it seems odd that all red and brown algae would possess these characteristics (so similar to land plants) and not all green algae. When charophytes (a green algae) are the closest living relative to land plants.

Question

Are all red and brown algae multicellular, eukaryotic, photosynthetic autotrophs?  I don't know why but it seems odd that all red and brown algae would possess these characteristics (so similar to land plants) and not all green algae.  When charophytes (a green algae) are the closest living relative to land plants.

anonymous · Answer

This was a blanket statement in my textbook but it just seemed counter intuitive. If there really aren't any exceptional red or brown algae what evolutionary forces led those groups to be more homogenous that green algae?