The participants will learn to recognize a selection of economically and ecologically important plant families with the help of generative (flower and fruit) and vegetative (leaf and bark) characters. Generally, two to three plant families will be treated per day. Specialists working at the NHN-L will give lectures with ample illustrations about plant families of that day and some important genera. In addition to the traditional Floras, participants will also learn to use internet keys and several CD-ROMs (interactive keys to Malesian plants). Furthermore, in a series of lectures general aspects of plant morphology, anatomy and development, of the taxonomy, classification, biogeography and phylogeny of plants, as well as the flora and vegetation in SE Asia will be presented.
During the practical the participants will be able to examine living, herbarium and alcohol preserved material. During excursions to the tropical greenhouses of the Leiden Botanical Garden attention will be paid to collection techniques and field characteristics.
Coordinator
Dr.P.Kessler: email prefect@hortus.nl
Methods of instruction
Lectures, theoretical and practical self study, group study, fieldwork
Study material
Syllabus (EUR 25)
Additional literature etc. is available during the course.
Recommended literature:
M.M.J. van Balgooy. Malesian seed plants
Volume 1 – Spot characters. An aid for identification of families and genera.
Leiden, 1997. 154 pp., illustrated, paperbound. ISBN 90-71236-31-5. EUR 22.50
Volume 2 – Portraits of tree families.
Leiden, 1998. 308 pp., illustrated, paperbound. ISBN 90-71236-36-6. EUR 45.00
Volume 3 – Portraits of non-tree families.
Leiden, 2001. 260 pp., illustrated, paperbound. ISBN 90-71236-50-1. EUR. 45.00
David J. Mabberley
Mabberley\‘s Plant-book
A Portable Dictionary of Plants, their Classifications, and Uses
3rd Edition University of Washington Botanic Gardens, Seattle
Hardback (ISBN-13: 9780521820714)
Examination
The course will end with an written exam. The participants are expected to identify 30 selected collections to the family and genus level, as well as to answer a number of theoretical questions.
Course requirements/recommendations
BSc in biology, anthropology, forestry, environmental sciences, pharmacy
Time table
12 – 30 January 2009, 9.00 – 17.00 h each day
Application
directly to the cordinator
Biology students via application form
Blackboard
x
Course objective
You will learn how to make good plant collections, how to describe field characters and how to recognize some of the important plant families. New insights in the tree of life and relationships between plant families will be taught.
Remarks
For practical reasons is the number of participants is limited to a maximum of 25.