To the ill-informed, it is a low priority for gardeners, environmentalists or farmers to identify obscure parts of a plant; or place plants into a high level scientific classification such as a family or class. For anyone who understands these industries well however, it can be critical to have that knowledge. Taxonomy trains people to observe the finer details that separate one plant cultivar from another. It provides a framework that makes the process of identifying plants systemic.
This course will help you to identify what a plant is faster and with greater accuracy than would otherwise be possible.
Leading horticulturists and botanists all over the world are all too aware of a serious decline in taxonomic skills and awareness.
Anyone who works with plants needs to understand how critical plant taxonomy is.
Without this level of taxonomic knowledge, you risk misidentifying plants. That can mean growing a less productive species; or even worse – growing a plant with higher levels of toxins and being unaware you are doing so.
WHAT THE COURSE COVERS
Four lessons as follows:
Lesson 1: INTRODUCTION – The Why and How of Plant Names
This lesson covers: Why Name Plants?, Scientific Vs. Vernacular Names, History, John Ray, Linnaeus, Ranks and Language, Ranks of Classification – KPCOFGS, Latin Names, Gardener’s Ranks, International Code of Botanical Nomenclature, Valid publication, The type method, Principle of priority aims and exceptions, Legitimate Naming, Recent Changes to the Code, International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants, Taxonomic Name Resolution Service, International Plant Names Index, The Rise of Molecular Data and the Impact of Molecular Data
Lesson 2: NAMING THE BITS – Plant Anatomy
This lesson covers: Describing a Plant for the First Time, Habit, Stems, Hairs, Flowers, Botanical Characteristics of Dianthus, Fruits, Indehiscent, Schizocarpic, Dehiscent, A Key to the Main Types of Fruits and Roots
Lesson 3: IDENTIFICATION TOOLS
This lesson covers: Using Resources, Collecting and Preserving Plants, Fresh Material, Herbarium Specimens, Photographs, The Problem of Colour, The Law Relating to Plant Collecting, Describing a Plant on Paper, The Equipment You Need, DNA Bar-coding, Floral Formulae, Floral Diagrams, Plant Keys, Making a Key, Using a Key, When all this fails, what do you do?, Botanic Gardens and Nurseries
Lesson 4: PLANT FAMILIES – The Family Life of Plants
This lesson covers: What Genera are in What Family?, Monocotyledons, Dicotyledons, Major Families, Anthophyta, Apiaceae (= Umbelliferae), Araceae, Asteraceae (= Compositae), Brassicaceae (= Crucifereae), Bromeliaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Fabaceae (= Leguminosae or Papillionaceae), Gesneriaceae, Lamiaceae (= Labiatae), Liliaceae, Myrtaceae, Orchidaceae, Poaceae (= Graminae), Other Significant Plant Phyla, Coniferophyta and Monilophyta
