BIOL 348 - Plant Taxonomy
Spring 2009

Instructor: Lawrence A. Alice, Ph.D.
Office: TCNW 218 (inner office); office hours: TWR 10:30-11:30
Phone: 745-7029; E-mail: lawrence.alice@wku.edu
Homepage: http://bioweb.wku.edu/faculty/alice
Lecture MW 11:30 - 12:25, TCNW Room 101
Lab M 12:40 - 4:40, TCNW Room 222


TEXTBOOK:
Judd, W.S., C.S. Campbell, E.A. Kellogg, P.F. Stevens, and M.J. Donoghue.  2007. Plant Systematics: A Phylogenetic Approach, 3rd ed. ISBN: 978-0-87893-407-2. $95.95 (Recommended).


COURSE OBJECTIVES:

Learn basic techniques of plant collection and identification including morphological terminology.
Be able to characterize and recognize ~40 major families of plants and their economically important and common genera/species, and identify ~125 local species in the field.
Acquire a basic understanding of relationships among flowering plants.
Gain exposure to a diversity of plant communities and species.


GRADING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES:

Lecture Exams: There will be three semester exams and one final exam. All exams will be comprehensive.

Lab Quizzes: Quizzes will be administered weekly throughout the semester; all of which will be comprehensive. These will be based primarily on lab or field identification of plant families, genera, and species, but also include morphological descriptive terminology.

Lab Final Exam: This will be a comprehensive exam (~100 plants) involving field identification of plant families, genera, and species.

Field Trips:
Missouri Botanical Garden/southern Illinois; 3 days/2 nights.  17-19 April, 2008

If you are unable to participate in these required field trips, an appropriate alternative must be completed to earn the points.

Herbarium/Collection Activity: Each student will be required to participate in several activities associated with plant collecting and herbarium activities.  More details will be provided later.

Grading: Final course grades will be based on the following components:

 

% of Total

Lecture Exam 1

12.5

Lecture Exam 2

12.5

Lecture Exam 3

12.5

Lecture Final Exam

15.0

Lab Quizzes/Assignments

15.0

Lab Final

15.0

Field Trips

10.0

Herbarium/Collection Activity

7.5

Please note that there will NOT be any opportunity for extra credit. Letter grades will be issued based on total points earned:
A = >90%; B = 80-89.9%; C = 70-79.9%; D = 60-69.9%; <60% = F.


POLICIES:

Make-up exams will ONLY be permitted provided that a University-approved absence has been demonstrated.
Come to labs with designated field trips prepared to go outside in any weather.
Do not be late for lab; field trips will leave on time.

LAST DAY TO DROP COURSE WITH A "W" IS 20 MARCH, 2009

Students with disabilities who require accommodations (academic adjustments and/or auxiliary aids or services) for this course must contact the Office for Student Disability Services, Office for Student Disability Services, located in the Student Success Center in DUC. The OFSDS telephone number is (270) 745-5004 V/TDD. Please DO NOT request accommodations directly from the professor or instructor without a letter of accommodation from the Office for Student Disability Services.

 

BIOL 348 - Plant Taxonomy Syllabus
Spring Semester 2009, Dr. Lawrence A. Alice


TENTATIVE LECTURE SCHEDULE

Class

Topic (chapters/pages to read)

JANUARY

 

26 Wed

Class overview; Collecting; Herbaria

26 lab

NO LAB

28 Wed

Classification; History of Plant Taxonomy

FEBRUARY

 

02 Mon

Morphology Revisited: Roots, Stems, & Leaves

02 lab

Morphology Revisited: Roots, Stems, & Leaves

04 Wed

Botanical Nomenclature

09 Mon

 

09 lab

Morphology Revisited: Flowers & Fruits

11 Wed

 

16 Mon

Nomenclature continued

16 lab

Ferns & Conifers

18 Wed

Tracheophytes; Angiosperms

23 Mon

Lecture Exam 1

*23 lab

Field Trip

25 Wed

"Non-monocot Paleoherbs"; "Magnoliid Complex"

MARCH

 

02 Mon

Monocots

02 lab

Family Studies

04 Wed

Monocots Cont'd

09-13

NO CLASS - SPRING BREAK

16 Mon

Monocots Cont'd

*16 lab

Field Trip

18 Wed

"Basal Eudicots (Tricolpates)"

23 Mon

Lecture Exam 2 (thru 17 Mar.)

*23 lab

Field Trip

25 Wed

 

30 Mon

Caryophyllids

*30 lab

Field Trip

APRIL

 

01 Wed

Basal & Core Rosids

06 Mon

Eurosid I

*06 lab

Field Trip

08 Wed

Eurosid I

13 Mon

Eurosid I

*13 lab

Field Trip

15 Wed

Eurosid I

20 Mon

Lecture Exam 3

*20 lab

No Lab

22 Wed

Eurosid II

27 Mon

Eurosid II & Basal Asterids

*27 lab

Field Trip: 1st Creek

29 Wed

Euasterid I

MAY

 

04 Mon

Euasterid I & II

*04 lab

Lab Final Exam - Field Trip

06 Wed

Euasterid II

11 Mon

Lecture Final Exam (10:30-12:30)

 

TAXA TO BE STUDIED

"Non-monocot Paleoherbs" (Amborellales, Nymphaeales, Austrobaileyales)
Families: Amborellaceae, Nymphaeaceae

"Magnoliid Complex" (Canellales, Laurales, Magnoliales, Piperales)
Families: Magnoliaceae, Lauraceae


MONOCOTS

Families: Araceae, Liliaceae, Iridaceae, Orchidaceae, Arecaceae, Bromeliaceae, Zingiberaceae, Juncaceae, Cyperaceae, Poaceae


EUDICOTS (TRICOLPATES)

"Basal Eudicots (Tricolpates)"
Families: Ranunculaceae, Papaveraceae


CORE EUDICOTS (TRICOLPATES)

Caryophyllids
Families: Cactaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Polygonaceae


Rosids

Basal Rosids: Saxifragaceae, Crassulaceae
Core Eurosids: Myrtaceae

Eurosid I
Families: Euphorbiaceae, Clusiaceae, Salicaceae, Fabaceae, Fagaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Rosaceae, Moraceae

Eurosid II
Families: Brassicaceae, Malvaceae, Sapindaceae, Anacardiaceae


Asterids

Basal Asterids
Families: Ericaceae

Euasterid I
Families: Solanaceae, Rubiaceae, Apocynaceae, Lamiaceae

Euasterid II
Families: Apiaceae, Asteraceae