Why did vascular tissue allow plants to grow larger on land?

Vascular tissue was essential for the evolution of larger land plants because it solved two fundamental challenges of terrestrial life: internal transport and structural support.1

• Efficient Transport: Unlike aquatic plants that are surrounded by water, land plants must move water and minerals from the soil to their aerial parts and distribute sugars produced in the leaves to the rest of the plant. The xylem acts as a specialized system for conducting water and dissolved minerals upward, while the phloem transports photosynthetic products, such as sugars, to other parts of the plant. This long-distance transport system allows plants to grow larger and maintain tissues that are not submerged in water.123
• Structural Support: In aquatic environments, plants rely on buoyancy for support. On land, plants require a rigid, self-supporting structure to grow upright and reach sunlight. The xylem provides this necessary rigidity through tiny, tube-like cells reinforced with lignin, a hardening substance that strengthens the cell walls. This structural integrity allows vascular plants to develop true stems and grow to significant heights.12