B300 Vascular Plants |
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ILLUSTRATED SYLLABUS
Course DescriptionB300 presents a survey of the diversity and evolutionary relationships of vascular plants. Vascular plants are the so-called 'higher plants,' the dominant plants that cover most of the earth's land surface. We see these plants in the natural world, and we cultivate them for use in landscaping, as house plants, and for food. This course focuses on the various kinds (the major groups) of extant vascular plants and you will acquire a detailed, evolutionary perspective on the morphologies, life cycles, reproductive structures, identification, phylogeny, classification, and economic importance of these groups. Laboratory sessions (including one field-trip) provide hands-on experience in analyzing plant structures and using identification keys. Land plants evolved from green algae, and our survey does not include the first land plants, the bryophytes (mosses, liverworts, and hornworts), which lack vascular tissue for moving water and instead rely on capillary action to keep their cells moist. We start with the group that first evolved vascular tissue and follow an evolutionary progression to the most recently evolved major group, the angiosperms (flowering plants) that dominate much of the earth today. Underlined blue names of plants, plant groups, structures, etc. can be clicked to show a picture or to provide further information. The first half of the course discusses the more primitive vascular plants (the so-called club mosses, spike mosses, quillworts, whisk ferns, horsetails, and typical ferns), concluding with the more primitive seed-producing plants (gymnosperms such as the cycads, Ginkgo, and pines). The second half of the course focuses on the flowering plants, their reproductive biology and other shared characteristics as well as the taxonomy, identification, economic importance, and other features of several of their most important and commonly encountered families. Class periods consist of two lectures (M & W: 11:15 a.m.–12:05 p.m.) and one laboratory session (M or T) per week. Instructor:Dr. Eric Knox. Office: Jordan Hall 221; 855-9601; office hours M & W 12:20–1:00 and by appointment. Web Page; e-mail Dr. Knox Associate Instructors:Marc Bogonovich -- Jordan Hall 261; 855-7804; e-mail Marc Collin Hobbs -- Jordan Hall 159; 855-1674; e-mail Collin Dan Johnson -- Jordan Hall 159; 855-1674; e-mail Dan Brett Mattingly-- Jordan Hall 155; 856-0841; e-mail Brett AI office hours to be announced at the first lab meetings. Books, Lecture Notes, and Laboratory Manual:The following are required and available at IU Bookstore (IMU & Eigenmann) and at TIS. Plant Systematics, 2006, by Michael G. Simpson. A Short Hisotry of Nearly Everything, 2004, by Bill Bryson. Guns, Germs, and Steel, 1999, by Jared Diamond. B300 Lecture Notes (current year edition; ClassPak). B300 Lab Exercises (current year edition; ClassPak).Exam Policy:There are three lecture exams and three laboratory exams. All exams count; none dropped. Attendance is required. See exam dates below. Make-up exams only given when arranged in advance by Dr. Knox for your documented serious illness or for death in your immediate family. In accordance with university policy, failure to attend the final lecture exam results in a grade of F for the course. For a good grade, learn course material well by studying each lecture’s material as the course goes along. Helpful study methods are seen by clicking at left. There will be ca. 12 quizzes during lectures on dates not announced in advance. The quiz with the lowest score will be dropped. Your current grade record is always available to you through the Post’Em function of Oncourse. Grades:Your final course grade will be based 2/3 on lecture grades (exams and quizzes) and 1/3 on lab grades (laboratory exams and assigned work). The three lecture exams each count for 30% of the lecture grade, and the quizzes count for the remaining 10%. The three laboratory exams each count for 20% of the lab grade, and small written assignments and class participation count for the remaining 40%. Although the raw exam grades may be adjusted, if necessary, the final course grade is not curved. Calculation of final course grade dips below the standard scale to automatically include all borderline cases in the next higher letter grade, as follows: 96 = A+; 91 = A; 89 = A-; 87 = B+; 81 = B; 79 = B-; 77 = C+; 71 = C; 69 = C-; 67 = D+; 61 = D; 56 = D-; Below 56 = F.
Lecture Topics: (relevant text pages are noted in bold for each lecture topic below; underlined clickable entries provide illustrations 1. Introduction. Review of sexual reproduction (alternation of generations). Read: Chart of Geological and Biological History; Origin of Land Plants & Introduction to Vascular Plants; Species and Other Units of Classification; text pp. ix–x, 3–15, 51-58. 2. Lycophytes: The Lycopodiales (club mosses). Lycopodiaceae (Huperzia, Lycopodiella & Lycopodium). Read: Nodes and Steles; Evolutionary Derivation of Microphylls and Macrophylls; text pp. 69–82. 3. Lycophytes: The Selaginellales (spike mosses), Isoetales (quillworts), and the importance of heterospory. Selaginellaceae (Selaginella) & Isoetaceae (Isoetes). Read: text pp. 78–82. 4. Monilophytes: The Ophioglossales. Eusporangiate homosporous ferns (Botrychium & Ophioglossum). Read: text pp. 83–84. 5. Monilophytes: The Psilotales. Psilotum (whisk ferns) & Tmesipteris. Read: text p. 84. 6. Monilophytes: The Equisetales (horsetails) & Marattiales. Read: text pp. 85–87. 7. Monilophytes: The Polypodiales (in part). Leptosporangiate homosporous ferns. Read: text pp. 87–88. 8. Monilophytes: The water ferns. Leptosporangiate heterosporous ferns: Marsileaceae (Marsilea, Regnellidium, Pilularia) & Salviniaceae (Salvinia, Azolla). Read: text pp. 88–91. 9. Mid-Term Synthesis and Review. 10. Introduction to seed plants: Gymnosperms vs angiosperms. Read: text pp. 97–108. 11. Gymnosperms: The Cycadales. Read: text p. 108. FIRST LECTURE EXAM: Wed., 18 Feb 7:00–8:30 pm 12. Gymnosperms: The Ginkgoales. Ginkgo biloba. Read: text p. 109. 13. Gymnosperms: The Coniferales. Introduction. Read: text pp. 109–114. 14. Gymnosperms: The Pinus life cycle. 15. Gymnosperms: The Gnetales. Ephedra, Gnetum & Welwitschia. Read: text p. 114. 16. Introduction to angiosperms. Read: text pp. 347–361. 17. Angiosperm floral organization. Read: The Relationship Between Carpels and Pistils, text pp. 364–365. ***SPRING RECESS: March 14 –22*** 18. Angiosperm floral diversity. Read: text pp. 366–379 (as pertains to lecture). 19. Angiosperms: Dicots vs monocots. Read: text pp. 137–141; 153–156. SECOND LECTURE EXAM Wed., 25 Mar, 7:00–8:30 pm 20. Angiosperm life cycle. 21. Magnoliidae: The ‘primitive’ angiosperms. Read: Ethereal Oils; text pp. 141–149. 22. Magnoliidae: Ranunculaceae. Read: Doctrine of Signatures; text pp. 227–233. 23. Rosidae: Eurosids I: Rosaceae & Fabaceae. Read: text pp. 262–265; 275–278. 24. Rosdiae: Eurosids II: Brassicaceae. Read: text pp. 278–280. 25. Asteridae: Euasterids I: Solanaceae & Lamiaceae. Read: Alkaloids of the Solanaceae; text pp. 308–310; 319. 26. Asteridae: Euasterids II: Asteraceae. Read: text pp. 322–331. 27. Asteridae: Euasterids II: Lobeliaceae. 28. Monocots: Poaceae. Read: text pp. 213–219. 29. Final Synthesis and Review. FINAL LECTURE EXAM Wed., 6 May, 5:00–7:00 pm Laboratory Exercises:Laboratory sessions, closely coordinated with the lectures, investigate salient morphological and functional features of fresh or preserved representatives of the plant groups covered in lecture and provide short discussions of background readings from the text. You will learn how to identify plants using dichotomous keys and how to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships among plant groups. You will conduct a semester-long project observing the life cycle of a fern including growth and development of gametophytes to sexual maturity, fertilization, and the ontogeny and development of the sporophytes. For the flowering plants, laboratory consideration is given to flower structure and interpretation, reproductive biology (including pollen tube growth), fruit types, structural components of seeds, and training in plant identification. A FIELD TRIP (during which spring flowering plants are discussed, collected, and prepared as herbarium specimens for identification and during which the Indiana University Herbarium, the official herbarium of the state of Indiana, is visited) is held during the laboratory periods on MONDAY, 13 APRIL & TUESDAY, 14 APRIL. Participation in the field trip is a requirement for completing the course. Students use dichotomous keys provided to identify the species of flowering plants collected during the field trip. At least one laboratory session includes a tour of the plants in the Indiana University conservatory greenhouses. Lab exams are practical exams given during the laboratory sessions in which you move from station to station and draw on the experience and factual knowledge you have gained by thoroughly completing and understanding the preceding lab exercises. First lab exam = Monday & Tuesday 9 & 10 February. Second lab exam = Monday & Tuesday 9 & 10 March. Final lab exam = Monday & Tuesday 27 & 28 April. |
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