Plants are famous for having a life cycle that involves an alternation of generations. However, land plants are not unique in this. Some red algae also have alternation of generations. Charophyte green algae never have an alternation of generations life cycle. The best interpretation of these facts is: charophytes are not closely related to either red algae or land plants. plants evolved alternation of generations independently of red algae. altemation of generations is not beneficial to charophytes. alternation of generations occurs in charophytes but sporophytes are reduced to a single cell. land plants evolved directly from the red algae that perform alternation of generations..