Plant Taxonomy: The Identities of Plants

Sabrina Sewell, botanist

Taxonomy is the fundamental branch of science that names and classifies all elements of the world around us, including living things. A plant taxonomist specializes in determining groupings, relationships, and, ultimately, the names and identities of plants. This process utilizes pertinent data such as phylogenetics, phytogeography, and phenology, but most essentially, plant morphology: the forms of plant parts. In this multi-session virtual course, students will focus on these diverse morphological characteristics of plants (descriptors of leaves, flowers, roots, etc.) and their utility in investigating unknown plants. Students will also survey the history, principles and practices of plant taxonomy as a discipline and be guided through the process of plant identification via dichotomous keys. It is recommended, but not necessary, that students take Basic Botany before this class.

Course Learning Objectives & Outline

(topics covered will include)

• History of plant taxonomy
• Botanical nomenclature
• Tools, resources, and practices
• Plant morphology and terminology
• Characteristics of selected plant families
• Use of dichotomous keys

Course Structure

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

• Part 1 – Introductory Video Lectures – content released Mar. 12
• Part 2 – At-Home Exercises – content released Mar. 12
• Part 3 – Plant ID Lab – choice of in-person session Apr. 5; 10a.m. – 12p.m. or 1 – 3 p.m. OR virtual session Apr. 7; 6 – 8 p.m.
• Part 4 – Online Discussion Session – through Zoom Apr. 8; 6 – 7 p.m.

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