Final answer:
The first appearance of plant life on land was during the Carboniferous period, followed by the Devonian period and the Jurassic period.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Carboniferous Period:
During the Carboniferous Period (360-290 million years ago), widespread forests of huge plants left massive deposits of carbon that eventually turned to coal. The first amphibians evolved to move out of the water and colonize land, but they had to return to the water to reproduce. Soon after amphibians arose, the first reptiles evolved. They were the first animals that could reproduce on dry land.
The Devonian Period:
During the Devonian Period (410-360 million years ago), the first seed plants evolved. Seeds have a protective coat and stored food to help these plants survive. Seed plants eventually became the most common type of land plants. In the oceans, fish with lobe fins evolved. They could breathe air when they raised their heads above water. Breathing would be necessary for animals to eventually colonize the land.
The Jurassic Period:
The next period, the Jurassic Period (200-145 million years ago), began after the mass extinction that ended the Triassic Period. This mass extinction allowed dinosaurs to flourish in the Jurassic Period. This was the golden age of dinosaurs. Also during the Jurassic, the earliest birds evolved from reptile ancestors, and all the major groups of mammals evolved, though individual mammals were still small in size. Flowering plants appeared for the first time, and new insects also evolved to pollinate the flowers. The continents continued to move apart, and volcanic activity was especially intense.