Basic Botany: Fundamentals of Plant Biology

Sabrina Sewell, botanist

Explore the biology of plants in this introduction to general plant anatomy, morphology, physiology, evolution and development. This course presents the fundamental information about plants upon which other courses in the native plant certificate program will build, particularly Plant Taxonomy. With an emphasis on relating form to function, it surveys the origins of plants along with their basic forms and life processes. Students will become acquainted with plant tissues and structures, as well as their roles in the life of plants.

Course Learning Objectives & Outline (topics covered will include):

• Origins of plants and their basic groups
• Brief history and fundamentals of the science of botany
• Plant structures (internal and external) – their forms, functions and development
• Plant life cycles and reproduction
• Introduction to basic plant genetics
• Evolutionary adaptations of plants

Course Structure:

This class consists of three elements: a series of pre-recorded introductory videos, in-person or at-home lab exercises exploring plant anatomy and a wrap-up discussion session through Zoom.

• Part 1 – Introductory Video Lectures – content released Oct. 30
• Part 2 – Exploratory Lab Exercises – self-paced at home OR in-person session Nov. 9, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. or 1 – 3 p.m.
• Part 3 – Online Discussion Session – through Zoom Nov. 12, 6 – 7 p.m.

Participants who sign up for the online lab session will be provided instructions for conducting their own activities at home.

This class is a core class for the Certificate in Native Plants.