Joseph E. Armstrong Member of cactus family, Cactaceae, in flower

Plant Taxonomy (BSC 335)

and Laboratory in Plant Identification (BSC 336)
"The world into which we are born is a booming buzzing confusion, and we only slowly learn to sort out things of like kind. Instinctively in babyhood, and later more self-consciously, we group things together and attach general terms to them; so that instead of a chaos of endless particular things without apparent order, we come to perceive a world with a finite number of classes of things. We thus begin to feel at home, even though the classes may need to be revised (sometimes painfully) and certainly seem to cut across each other so that everything belongs in more than one. We distinguish parts of ourselves from other things, and we then separate things that are accessible from things that are not, like the Moon, for which there is little point in crying. Some classes have sharp lines, and others have fuzzy ones; the division between colours, for example, seem hard to learn and are mastered some time after children have got size relations straight, and differ between cultures. Great scientists are Peter Pans, still anxious to classify and explain at an age when most people are concerned with money, power, and sex."

(D. Knight. 1981. Ordering the world: a history of classifying man. Burnett Books, London. Pp. 16-17.)

INTRODUCTION

Taxonomy is all at once the oldest, broadest, and most basic of sciences. Taxonomy may be generally defined as the study and classification of variation among organisms, its causes, consequences, and patterns. Data recording patterns of variation are used to construct classifications, logical sets of hierarchical categories, providing both the means of naming and identification, and the generating of hypotheses of relatedness. The need for classification, to organize and make sense out of vast arrays of variation, is absolute, and humans have even been described as the classifying animal (see quotation above). The outcomes of plant taxonomy will be compared and evaluated with respect to different results, uses, usefulness, concepts, and classification controversies.

Although treating taxonomy as a contemporary science, this course will provide a background and history of the science of plant taxonomy, its methods and data, and the types of classification, their purposes, and approaches. In other words, the present state of the science of taxonomy will be firmly grounded in a historical context.

Major patterns of variation and categories of classification will be examined and ultimately directed toward identification by introducing the distinctive characteristics of important, major taxa (sing. taxon = any group in a classification hierarchy). In particular recognition of major plant families is a critical and necessary skill in taxonomy and plant identification.

The background knowledge provided in this course serves to introduce the practical application of taxonomy, identification, thereby giving students a valuable skill for research, teaching, and other career opportunities, like conservation biology. However, a taxonomy course, while serving as a necessary background, will provide little experience and develop no proficiency in native plant identification, thus the necessity of having a laboratory concentrating on observations of characters and identification of native and naturalized plants (BSC 336, Laboratory in Plant Identification).

Although many aspects of the science of taxonomy are universally applicable, this course will concentrate on Angiosperms, flowering plants, of which there are about 250,000 species, a group second in diversity only to invertebrate animals, an emphasis justified both by their importance and dominance in most terrestrial communities. Angiosperms will be placed within the context of plant history and plant diversity represented in the Plant Kingdom. Practical aspects of taxonomy, nomenclature, types of taxonomic data, taxonomic literature and references, and taxonomic resources, will be examined.

OBJECTIVES

  1. To gain an understanding of the history and concepts underlying various approaches to plant taxonomy and classification.
  2. To learn the major patterns of diversity among plants, and the characters and types of data used to classify plants.
  3. To compare the different approaches to classification with regard to the analysis of data.
  4. To become familiar with major taxa and their identifying characteristics, and to develop in depth knowledge of the current taxonomy of a major plant family.
  5. To develop a knowledge and familiarity with scientific names and the rules governing their application.
  6. To discover and use diverse taxonomic resources, reference materials, herbarium collections, publications.

LECTURE OUTLINE

I. What is Taxonomy?

II. How Do Plants Get Named?

III. The literature of plant taxonomy

IV. Introduction to plant identification

V. Taxonomic Survey of Plants

VI. What is Classification? - A pervasive human quality "like the predisposition to sin, it accompanies us into the world at birth and stays with us to the end." (Hopwood, 1959)

VII. Systematics and Plant ID in action

Textbook: Vascular Plant Taxonomy, 4th Edition, Dirk R. Walters & David J. Keil

Recommended Reference: Heywood, V. H. 1993. Flowering plants of the world, rev. ed. Oxford Univ. Press, New York.

Plant Identification Field Guide: Henry Gleason and Arthur Cronquist. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada, 2nd ed. New York Bot. Gard., Bronx.

Systematic Research Paper

Each student will select one of the listed plant families for which they will determine the current taxonomy of these plants researching their inter- and intrafamilial relationships. Recent and original research papers will be used to determine the current classification concepts of the family selected, what data are being applied to these problems, and how the classification concepts have changed. The paper will take the form of a review article using the organization and format found in the journal Botanical Review.

Other References:

Cronquist, Arthur. 1988. The evolution and classification of flowering plants, 2nd ed. New York Botanical Garden, Bronx.

Mears, J. A. 1989. Plant taxonomic literature: Bibliographic guide. Chadwyck- Healy, London.

Stace, Clive A. 1980. Plant taxonomy and biosystematics, University Park Press, Baltimore.

Stuessy, Tod F. 1990. Plant taxonomy: The systematic evaluation of comparative data, Columbia University Press, New York.

LABORATORY IN PLANT IDENTIFICATION (BSC 336)

Materials: Field Notebook & pencils Handlens Field Kit: Dissecting utensils, plastic bags, 15 cm scale, other useful, but optional items (pocket knife, compass, cord, etc)

This laboratory is designed to provide practical experience in plant identification using the tools of classification and identification, and gaining a real world experience in plant identification. The laboratory will illustrate different patterns of variation, the collection of various types of data, the collection and documentation of specimens, including basic herbarium techniques. Variations in plant form will be studied along with their practical uses in plant identification. The tools and techniques of plant identification will demonstrated. Field work will provide practice and experience in data accumulation, specimen collection and preparation, identification of major taxa, and use of identification resources including computerized multiple entry keys. A field trip to the Missouri Botanical Garden or Field Museum of Natural History, both of which possess large herbaria, will introduce you to a foremost institutions of plant taxonomy.

Objectives

  1. To learn how plant specimens are collected, documented, and curated for a permanent record.
  2. To observe, record, and employ plant morphological variation and the accompanying descriptive terminology.
  3. To gain experience with the various tools and means available to identify plants.
  4. To develop observational skills and field experience.
  5. To identify a taxonomically diverse array of native plants.
  6. To recognize common and major plant families.

Field Gear and Field Work Students are expected to wear clothing and footwear appropriate for field work and to be physically and mentally prepared for working under field conditions, which include changes in the weather. Although it never rains on field trips, responsible students are ready for anything. Water, nutritional rewards, sun lotions, insect repellants, and other survival items are your responsibility. Since plants are sessile organisms, the student must go to the plant to observe the organism in its natural environment. Therefore, a certain amount of walking is required, and it is expected you can keep up with aged faculty.

Laboratory Exercises

  1. Vegetative Morphology I - Typical Roots, Stems, and Leaves
  2. Vegetative Morphology II - Modified Roots, Stems, and Leaves (*)
  3. Floral Morphology I - Basic parts and terminology
  4. Floral Morphology II - Diversity of forms (*)
  5. Specimen Collection and Handling
  6. Identification Tools
  7. Identification of Specimens and Survey of Family Diversity - Field/Greenhouse/Lab
  8. Field Trip

Students will be expected to keep a notebook recording data and observations, and a catalogue of identified specimens with field notes appropriate for specimen labelling. Appropriate styles of notebooks will be demonstrated. Students will participate in collection and curation of herbarium specimens. Evaluation of the notebook will constitute 50% of the grade. Notebooks will be evaluated upon their information content, their thoroughness and attention to detail, their accuracy, and their organization and neatness. Another 50% of the grade will be based upon your demonstration of skills and your ability to recognize previously encountered specimens, suites of family characteristics, and to identify unknown specimens using appropriate identification tools.

Other References:

Adrian D. Bell, 1991, Plant Form: An illustrated guide to flowering plant morphology, Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Elias, Thomas S. 1980. The complete trees of North America: field guide and natural history. Van Nostrand Reinhold Co., New York.

Fernald, M. L. 1970. Gray's Manual of Botany: A handbook of the flowering plants and ferns of the central and northeastern United States and adjacent Canada, Van Nostrand Reinhold Co., New York.

Jones, George Neville. 1963. Flora of Illinois, 3d ed. American Midland Naturalist, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana.

Kirt, Russell R. 1993. Prairie plants of northern Illinois: identification and ecology. Stipes Publ., Champaign.

Lellinger, David B. 1985. A field manual of the ferns and fern-allies of the United States and Canada. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D.C.

Mohlenbrock, Robert H. Forest Trees of Illinois, Illinois Dept. of Conservation, Division of Forestry, Springfield.

Mohlenbrock, Robert H. 1986. Guide to the vascular flora of Illinois, rev. ed. S. Ill. Univ. Press, Carbondale.

Womersley, J. S. 1981. Plant collecting and herbarium development: A manual.