Anthophyta

The anthophytes are a paraphyletic grouping of plant taxa bearing flower-like reproductive structures. The group, once thought to be a clade,^[1] contained the angiosperms – the extant flowering plants, such as roses and grasses – as well as the Gnetales and the extinct Bennettitales.^[1]

Detailed morphological and molecular studies have shown that the group is not actually monophyletic,^[2] with proposed floral homologies of the gnetophytes and the angiosperms having evolved in parallel.^[3] This makes it easier to reconcile molecular clock data that suggests that the angiosperms diverged from the gymnosperms around 320-300 mya.^[4]

Some more recent studies have used the word anthophyte to describe a hypothetical group which includes the angiosperms and a variety of extinct seed plant groups (with various suggestions including at least some of the following groups: glossopterids, corystosperms, Petriellales Pentoxylales, Bennettitales and Caytoniales), but not the Gnetales.^[5][6]

Traditional view
Cycads Ginkgo Conifers Anthophytes Angiosperms Bennettitales Gnetales

Modern view
Angiosperms Gymnosperms Conifers Gnetales Ginkgo Bennettitales Cycads

Phylogeny of anthophytes and gymnosperms based on Crepet et al. (2000)^[3]