PLANT TAXONOMY – FALL 2009
Department and Course Number : Biological Sciences, BSC 416, BSC 516
Course Title: Plant Taxonomy Credit : 4 Hours Prerequisite : BSC 120 and 121 or equivalents
Course Description : Recognition and identification of the native vascular plants. The principles, methods and history of plant taxonomy.
Lecture Outline: Attached
Procedure : Lecture - 2 hours per week
Laboratory - 4 hours per week
Field Trips - 1 per week (avg.). Students will carpool to field trip site.
Field Collections - Required for all students
Graduate Students – PowerPoint Presentation
Examinations - Weekly field quizzes
Midterm and final lab exams
Midterm and final lecture exams
Field collections graded
Lab exercises graded
Grading based upon a 10% scale: 90% = A
80% = B
70% = C
60% = D
<60% = F
Texts :
Core, E.L., and N. Ammons. 1973. Woody Plants in Winter. Boxwood Press. Pacific Grove, CA. 218 pp .
(Spring Term
Only) (C.and A.)
Walters, D.R., D.J. Keil and Z. E. Murrell. 2006. Vascular Plant Taxonomy. Fifth Edition. Kendall Hunt Publishing
Company, Dubuque, Iowa . 544pp. (WKM)
Strausbaugh, P.D. and E.L. Core. 1978. Flora of West Virginia. 2 nd Ed. Seneca Books, Inc.Grantsville, WV. 1079 pp.
(S and C)
Required Reading: Assignments from texts (see lecture outline)
Handouts
Library readings assigned
References on Reserve
Bailey, L.H. 1949. Manual of Cultivated Plants. Macmillan Company. Toronto. 1116 pp.,
Castaner, J.L. 2004. Photographic Atlas of Botany and Guide to Plant Identification. Feline Press. 310 pp.
Fernald, M.L. 1950. Grays Manual of Botany. 8 th Ed. American Book Co. New York, NY. 1632 pp.
Harmon, P.J, D. Ford-Werntz and W. Grafton. Editors. 2006. Checklist and Atlas of the Vascular Flora of West Virginia. WV
Division of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Section, Elkins, WV. 381 pp.
Course Outcomes
Student should be able to recognize and to identify the common vascular plants.
Student should be know the basic principles, methods and history of plant taxonomy.
Student should gain an appreciation of the scientific and aesthetic values of plants in the local flora.
Students should be able to understand the relationship between taxonomy and other areas of biological sciences.
I MPORTANT P OLICIES
Attendance and Participation.
Attendance at all scheduled classes in required. If you must miss a class for any reason, it is your responsibility to contact my office prior to the class period. Written excuses for legitimate absences can be obtained through the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs (see http://www.marshall.edu/student-affairs/sections/handbook/absence.html).
Students with Disabilities. The Marshall University H.E.L.P. Program is committed to providing assistance through individual tutoring, mentoring and support, as well as fair and legal access to educational opportunities for students diagnosed with Learning
Disabilities (LD) and related disorders such as ADD/ADHD. If you have, or believe you may have, a handicap or learning disability that will make it difficult for you to complete this course as structured, please contact the H.E.L.P. office in Myers Hall at
696-6252 (http://www.marshall.edu/help/). The H.E.L.P. program will assess your situation and provide information designed to help me meet your educational needs

Plagiarism Policy/Academic Honesty/Academic Integrity . Any form of academic dishonesty will be sanctioned by an automatic “F” grade. A report will immediately be filed for evaluation by the Student Affaires Office. It may result in academic probation at Marshall University. All students are responsible for knowing and understanding the university's policy regarding academic dishonesty. Information regarding this policy is available in the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs (Old Main). If needed, appeals can be filed through the BSC Chairperson’s office.
Dropping the Course. I hope every student who enrolls in BSC 416-516 will complete the course. However, I know that may not always be the case. So, be aware the last day to drop a full-semester course. Make sure you know your standing in the class at that point so that you can make an informed decision.
Electronic Devices. Please turn off all cell phones, pagers, and other electronic devices when you enter the classroom. No electronic devices will be needed, and none will be permitted, during exams. The use or access of an electronic device during an exam will be considered evidence of academic dishonesty.
Office Hours. Check posted office hours.
Instructor. Dan K. Evans, Ph.D.
Professor of Biological Sciences
Science Building 364
Phone: (304) 696-6467 (voice mail)
email: evans @marshall.edu. l bsc 416-516 syllabus.wpd

PLANT TAXONOMY
BSC 416, BSC 516
LECTURE AND LABORATORY OUTLINE OF TOPICS AND READINGS
1. Overview of Plant taxonomy, Course Objectives, Student Responsibilities. Seat and Equipment assignment.
Handouts.
2. Introduction to Plant Taxonomy
Objectives of the science of plant taxonomy .....................................WKM 1-7; WKM 474-476
Concept of Taxa: Family, Genus, Species and Infraspecific Taxa
Species definition, Species problems; Biosystematics
3. Botanical Nomenclature
Plant names and naming plants. Handouts ........................................WKM. 11- 22
4. Construction and Use of Keys for Plant identification
Vegetative Terminology. ...................................................................WKM 27-37; 77-88
5. Collecting and Preserving Plants for Scientific Purposes.
The herbarium ....................................................................................WKM 113 -124
6. Flowering Plants - Inflorescence and Floral Morphology
Floral Terminology. Exercise graded .................................................WKM 187-208
7. Seed Free Vascular Plants - The Ferns
Life cycle, morphology and taxonomy of ferns and fern allies............WKM 137-161; S and C 2- 43
MID-TERM LECTURE AND LAB EXAMINATION. THREE HOUR EXAM, DATE: 9 March 2009
8. The Gymnosperms
Morphology and taxonomy of native gymnosperms .......................... WKM 183; S and C 44-51
9. The Angiosperms
Pollination, Fertilization, fruit and seed structure in flowering plants... WKM 159 - 165
10. The Angiosperms ................................................................................. WKM 179 - 458 (selected)
Taxonomy, distribution and economic importance of the common families of flowering plants in North America. Handouts
11. Threatened and Endangered Species
The concept and value of rare plants. Handouts ………………............Handouts
12. History and Development of Plant Taxonomy
People, concepts and systems of classification. ……………………… Handouts.
13. Study of the Local Flora 1 , Field Trips 2 , Collecting and Identification of the
Local Flora. Handouts ………………………………………………………S and C (bring to class daily)
14. Student Term Projects 3 ......................................................................
….Handouts
15. Graduate Student Projects4 …………………………………………………Handouts
FINAL LAB EXAM COMPREHENSIVE EXAM C LAST CLASS DAY 5
FINAL LECTURE EXAM B NOT COMPREHENSIVE B FINAL WEEK 5
1 . Study of the local flora will begin during week 2 and continue weekly throughout the course
2. Come prepared each class meeting to go to the field to collect plants.
3.
Student (all students) term projects will be assigned during the early part of the course. Projects are due
2 weeks before the last scheduled class day.
4.
Graduate students are required to do work beyond that required of undergraduate students. These projects will be assigned during the early part of the course. Project presentations are due on a date near the end of the course.
5 . The lab final is comprehensive as it relates to plant collections and study of the local flora. The final lecture exam,given during the Final Week, deals with lecture material since the mid-term exam. bsc 416-516 syllabus.wpd