PLANT DIVERSITY(2)

BDC221

PLANT DIVERSITY (2)

Higher plant nomenclature, identification and classification

Cladistic methodology

Classification systems and modern approaches to Angiosperm classification

Characters of Taxonomic importance in higher plants

Fynbos families

WEEK

DATE

CONTENT

PRACTICALS Tuesday 2-5;

Fridays 9.40-13.00

1

30 March Mon 9.40-10.40

Lecture: Introduction TUE: 1. Quantitative vs. qualitative data

31 March Tues. 10.50-11.50

Lecture: Plant nomenclature

FRI 2. Leaf identification s 1 April Wed

9.40-10.40 Lecture: Pant Identification

2

6 April Mon 9.40-10.40

Lecture: Cladistic methodology 1.

7 April Tues. 10.50-11.50

Lecture: Cladistic methodology 2.

TUE: 3. Flower identifications

8 April Wed 9.40-10.40

Lecture: Cladistic methodology 3

3

13 April Mon 9.40-10.40

Public Holiday TUE: 4. Key construction

14 April Tues. 10.50-11.50

Lecture: Classification systems 1

FRI: 5. Cladistics

15 April Wed 9.40-10.40

Lecture: Classification systems 2

4

20 April Mon 9.40-10.40

Lecture: Sources of taxonomic importance 1

21 April Tues. 10.50-11.50

Lecture: Lecture: Sources of taxonomic importance 2

TUE 6. Anatomy

FRI 7. Ericaceae

22 April Wed 9.40-10.40

Public Holiday

PLANT DIVERSITY (ANGIOSPERMS)

BDC 221(2)

5

27 April Mon 9.40-10.40

Public Holiday

TUE 8. Proteaceae

28 April Tues 10.50-11.50

Ericaceae

29 April Wed 9.40-10.40

Midterm Test

6

4 May 9.40-10.40 Proteaceae TUE:

9. Asteraceae FRI:

10. Petaloid monocots

8 May Tues 10.50-11.50

Rutaceae, Polygalaceae

9 May Wed 9.40-10.40

Order: Fabales

7

11 May 9.40-10.40 Geraniaceae, Oxalidaceae,

TUE:

11. Grasses, sedges and reeds

FRI: Practical test.

12 May Tues 10.50-11.50

Asteraceae, Lamiaceae

13 May Wed 9.40-10.40

Grasses, sedges and reeds

THEORYTHEORY

2. PLANT NOMENCLATURE:

1. INTRODUCTION: Overview; course specifics

Author citations, typification, priority of namesICBN

3. PLANT IDENTIFICATION: Keys: purpose, guidelines and strategies

Concepts (characters, homology/homoplasy, morphoclines, polarity, constructing a char/taxon matrix using plant characters.

4. CLADISTIC METHODOLOGY 1:

5. CLADISTIC METHODOLOGY 2: Tree building and optimisation

6. CLADISTIC METHODOLOGY 3: Exercises in tree building

7. CLASSIFICATION SYSTEMS 1: Traditional vs modern systems

8. CLASSIFICATION SYSTEMS 2: Discussion on Chase’s classification (research paper) based on cladistic methodology

9. SOURCES OF TAXONOMIC IMPORTANCE 1: Plant morphological and anatomical features

10. SOURCES OF TAXONOMIC IMPORTANCE 2: Molecular characters

11. PLANT DIVERSITY IN FYNBOS: Overview of important fynbos plant families

12. ERICACEAE: Diagnostic features, systematics, floral adaptations, evolution

13. PROTEACEAE: Diagnostic features, distribution, classification, economic uses

14. RUTACEAE/ POLYGALACEAE: Field recognition, size, distribution and general information, economic importance

15. ORDER FABALES: Classification, field recognition of different families, Mimosaceae, Caesalpiniaceae and Fabaceae:Discussion on Polygalaceae vs. Fabaceae.

16. GERANIACEAE, OXALIDACEAE, SCROPHULARICAE: Field recognition, description, evolution

17. ASTERACEAE, LAMIACEAE: Field recognition, pollination, evolution.

18. GRASSES, SEDGES AND REEDS: Field recognition, description and evolution.

ASSIGNMENT 1: A ONE PAGE SUMMARY:

Using the Library’s interactive search for journal articles, search 5 relevant journal articles on any topic relating to identification or classification. Write a one page summary summarising the 5 journal articles (note: the summary should be a combined summary and not a summary of the individual articles).

ASSIGNMENT 2: ESSAY 1 500 WORDS:

Use one of the journal articles and write an essay of about 1 500 words on the topic. Your essay should have an introduction, materials and methods, results, a discussion and a reference list. References should follow the “Council of Science Editors (CSE)” format.

1. QUANTITATIVE DATA vs QUALITATIVE DATA:

PRACTICALSPRACTICALS

2. LEAF IDENTIFICATION: Vegetative leaf key exercise

Leaf data: length, width, range, mean, median; line graphs: Shape, margin, apex, base, etc.

3. FLOWER IDENTIFICATION: Exploring reproductive features in a key

4. KEY CONSTRUCTION: Constructing own key using vegetative and reproductive characters

5. CLADISTIC EXERCISE: Determining phylogenies in plants using Hennig86

6.LEAF STEM AND ROOT ANATOMY

Microscope work: Apical meristems, secondary growth

7. ERICACEAE Morphological studies of various genera and species. Datasheets to record features, drawings, questions at the end of the practical.

10. PETALOID MONOCOTS Morphological studies of various genera and species. Datasheets to record features, drawings, questions at the end of the practical.

11. GRASSES, SEDGES AND

REEDS

Morphological studies of various genera and species. Datasheets to record features, drawings, questions at the end of the practical.

12. PRACTICAL TEST

8. PROTEACEAE Morphological studies of various genera and species. Datasheets to record features, drawings, questions at the end of the practical.

9. ASTERACEAE Morphological studies of various genera and species. Datasheets to record features, drawings, questions at the end of the practical.

SKILLSSKILLS

1. ACCESS INFORMATION

2. BASIC STATISTICS AND GRAPHS

3. USE OF IDENTIFICATION KEYS

4. READ SCIENTIFIC PAPERS

5. SCIENTIFIC METHOD

5. SCIENTIFIC REPORT WRITING