| CODE | BIO1401 | ||||||
| TITLE | Plant Taxonomy | ||||||
| UM LEVEL | 01 - Year 1 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 5 | ||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 8 | ||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Biology | ||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit is designed to equip students with theoretical and practical knowledge on Plant Taxonomy. The topics covered include: 1. Plant taxonomy: introduction, need, aim and importance; difference between “Taxonomy” and “Systematic”; Identification andTaxonomic characters; Nomenclature; Taxa and their ranks. Typification. International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (ICN); Classification. Classification systems. APG III system: molecular-based system of plant taxonomy; Phylogeny. 2. Pteridophyta: characteristics, morphology, ecology, life cycle and classification; Lycopodiopsida, Psilotopsida, Equisetopsida, Marattiopsida, Polypodiopsida (with special emphasis on families: Lycopodiaceae, Isoëtaceae, Psilotaceae, Selaginellaceae, Ophioglossaceae, Equisetaceae, Osmun- daceae, Marsileaceae, Polypodiaceae); Gymnosperms: characteristics, morphology, ecology, life cycle and classification; Cycadophyta, Ginkophyta, Gnetophyta, Coniferophyta (with special emphasis on Gymnosperms families: Pinaceae, Cupressaceae, Taxaceae, Ginkgoaceae, Ephedraceae, Gnetaceae, Welwitschiaceae). 3. Angiosperms morphology: observing and describing variation in vegetative morphology using botanical terms; Identification of leaf and phyllotaxy types; Dissecting flowers and inflorescences and describing floral forms and structures using terms, floral formulas, and flower diagrams; Identification of fruits, infrutescences and seeds. 4. Origin and diversity of Angiosperms (Eudicot and Monocot); Life cycle; Characteristics, morphology, ecology, classification of the main Eudicots families: Apiaceae, Campanulaceae, Compositae (Asteraceae), Betulaceae, Boraginaceae, Brassicaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Ericaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Fabaceae. 5. Characteristics, morphology, ecology, classification of the main Eudicots families: Fagaceae, Lamiaceae, Oleaceae, Ranunculaceae, Rosaceae, Rubiaceae, Scrophulariaceae, Solanaceae. 6. Monocots. Characteristics, morphology, ecology, classification of the main Monocots families: Alliaceae, Araceae, Arecaceae, Cyperaceae, Iridaceae, Liliaceae, Orchidaceae, Poaceae. 7. Plant Identification: using and constructing botanical keys; anatomical methods in systematics; Techniques in collecting and preserving plant specimens; Collection of special groups of plants; Analytical techniques: morphometric methods. 8. Field survey methodologies and techniques practical handbook; Herbarium collection, Herbaria, Index Herbariorum (IH). Study-unit Aims This unit is mainly aimed at equipping students with knowledge of: - The importance of plant taxonomy, as well as techniques and procedures used in the identification of plants into various subgroups; - The practical applications and uses of different plant taxonomy tools in pure scientific research, in molecular biology, in botanic gardens and in conservation. Learning Outcomes 1. Knowledge & Understanding By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: • Describe and identify a living plant using botanical terms; • Understand vascular plants classification systems; • Recognize large and common families of European and Mediterranean non- flowering and flowering plants; • Identify the most common plant species using dichotomous interactive or traditional analytical keys, based on macroscopic and microscopic morphology; • Exhibit basic knowledge in anatomical approaches applied to Systematics; • Prepare a representative collection of plant specimens. 2. Skills By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: • Use knowledge of plant taxonomy as tools to gather essential information on an unidentified plant encountered in the wild or in botanic gardens; • Analyse and interpret data collected using the characteristics of major families studied to arrive at reliable identification to family and genus level; • To learn to use identification keys to enable classification and identification of plants. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: - Walter S. Judd, Christopher S. Campbell, Elizabeth A. Kellogg, Peter F. Stevens, Michael J. Donoghue. (2016) Plant Systematics: A Phylogenetic Approach, Third Edition 4th Edition, by Sinauer Associates Inc., NY. - Michael G. Simpson, (2010) Plant Systematics, Second Edition 2nd Edition, Elsevier. - Vernon H Heywood (1993) Flowering plants of the world, Batsford, UK. - Introduction to the Principles of Plant Taxonomy 2nd Edition (1991) by V. V. Sivarajan (Author), N. K. P. Robson (Editor). |
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| ADDITIONAL NOTES | Pre-Requisite qualifications: Entry requirements BSc Biology or Similar | ||||||
| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Indep Online Learn, Indep Study, Onl Tut & Webinar | ||||||
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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