Nonvascular plants are the simplest land plants that lack internal water transport systems. They first evolved around 460 million years ago from green algae. They reproduce both sexually, with gametes developing in protective structures, and asexually through regeneration. Nonvascular plants are typically found in damp, shady areas as they cannot survive drying out and lack means to transport water over long distances. There are three divisions of nonvascular plants that share some characteristics but are distinct in other ways.