“General Botany II° canale”
Teacher: Prof. Gigliola PUPPI, Dipartimento di Biologia Vegetale, 1st floor, room 116, tel. 06
4991 2839 (int. 22839), e-mail gigliola.puppi@uniroma1.it
Target students: Students “Laurea triennale”/ first level degree in Natural Sciences
Unit Level: Introductory
Prerequisites: Basic knowledge of Botany, Biology and Chemistry from secondary school
Credits: 9
Contents
Origin of life: general characteristics of living beings. Theories on the origin of life on Earth.
Diversity of living beings.
Prokaryotes: morphology, ecology, reproduction, metabolism, classification (general characters of
Archaebacteria and Eubacteria, with special reference to Cyanobacteria) and phylogenesis.
Biogeochemical cycles of sulphur and nitrogen.
The origin of Eukaryotes and the theory of endosymbiosis.
General characteristics of plant cells. The cell wall and its modifications. Vacuole and its role in
osmoregulation, storage and cell growth. Plastids and chloroplasts. Photosynthesis. Carbon cycle.
Reproduction in plants. Sexual and asexual reproduction. Life cycles, alternation of generations and
their evolutionary significance.
Protists: general characteristics, morphology, ecology, reproduction, metabolism, classification.
Taxonomy, phylogenesis and evolutionary trends of the photosynthetic groups (Euglenophyta,
Dinophyta, Bacillariophyta, Phaeophyta, Rhodophyta. Chlorophyta) and their life cycles .
Fungi: general characteristics, morphology, ecology, reproduction, metabolism. Taxonomy and
phylogenesis of the main taxa (Glomeromycota, Zygomycota. Ascomycota and Basidiomycota) and
their life cycles. Ecological roles and interactions: fungal pathogens, lichens, mycorrhizae.
Origin and evolution of land plants
Nonvascular embriophytes: Hepatophyta, Anthocerotophyta, Bryophyta: general characteristics,
morphology, ecology, phylogenesis and life cycles.
Tracheophyta (the vascular plants): evolution of the sporophyte; plant morphology and
organization.
Plant tissues and systems: structure and functions of leaves, stems and roots
Pteridophyta: vascular seedless plants. Taxonomy, phylogenesis and evolutionary trends.
Homospory and heterospory. The evolution of the stele.
Spermatophyta: the seed plants. Origin and evolution of ovule and seed.
Gymnosperms. General characteristics, morphology, ecology, reproductive structures and life cycle.
Taxonomy, phylogenesis and evolutionary trends.
Angiosperms. The flower: morphology and evolution; types of pollination and their evolutionary
significance. Seeds and fruits. Taxonomy, evolutionary trends and phylogenetic relationships
among main Angiosperm groups.
Skills to develop and learning outcomes expected
Basic knowledge of morphological and functional characteristics of plants.
Knowledge of types of reproduction and life cycles in the taxa studied.
Knowledge of phylogenetic relationships among plant taxa, and evolutionary trends.
Ability to recognize the main taxa considered.
Contents
( 9 CFU)
Origin of life and
Lectures
general characteristics of
living beings
Prokaryotes
Lectures
The eukaryotic plant
Lectures
cell. Photosynthesis.
Reproduction and life
cycles
Prokayotic and
Lab
eukayotic cells.
Osmoregulation.
Hours in the
Hours for
classroom personal study
4
8
Total Evaluation of the profit
hours
12 Oral exam
4
10
10
25
14
35
Oral exam
Oral exam
2
2
4
Protists: characters,
Lectures
reproduction, main taxa
Fungi: characters,
Lectures
ecology, main taxa,
symbiosis.
Lab
6
15
21
Written reports and
observation and
recognition of plant
materials and slides
Oral exam
6
12
18
Oral exam
2
2
4
Origin and evolution of
land plants. Bryophyta.
Pteridophyta. Plant
tissues and systems
Preparation and
observation of tissues
and structures of
Tracheophyites
Gimnosperms:
characters and
evolutionary trends.
Angiosperms:
reproductive structures,
characters and
evolutionary trends
Lectures
4
10
14
Written reports and
observation and
recognition of plant
materials and slides
Oral exam
Lectures
12
25
37
Oral exam
Lab
4
4
8
Lectures
4
10
14
Written reports and
observation and
recognition of plant
materials and slides
Oral exam
Lectures
14
30
44
Oral exam
72
153
225
Final exam
The evaluation of the profit will be achieved by an oral examination designed to test the knowledge
acquired during the course. During the oral test may be used photomicrographs and macroscopic
materials to verify the performance skills of students.
Suggested Readings
T.L. Rost, M.G. Barfour, C.R. Stocking & T.M. Murphy - Biologia delle piante - Zanichelli
G. Pasqua, G. Abbate, C. Forni – Botanica generale e diversità vegetale - Piccin
(For some topics further study material may be suggested in class)