Exams

 Lecture exam 1

 Lecture exam 2

 Lecture exam 3

 Laboratory exam 1

 Laboratory exam 2

 Laboratory exam 3

Lecture and laboratory exams will cover approximately one-third of the class material each time. The class covers quite a bit of material, but the coverage is supposed to add depth to main ideas and concepts. Thus, use the guidelines or review sheets below to get a feel for the most the most important parts of each section and what details to add to round out the key ideas and concepts.

Lectures will typically include a little of each of the following: definitions, short answers, matching, true/false, problem solving, and essays. Use the link to see an example of a typical lecture 1 exam. Laboratory exams will test for general knowledge of the plant groups or structures examined, identification of genera and families required for each lab, and skill in using keys.


Lecture 1 Exam Study Sheet

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Exam on Friday, Oct. 3, will cover all lectures through and including Friday, Sep.26

 I. What is systematics - Read Godfray paper

A. parts of systematics
B. goals of systematics

 II. Floral structure (in detail!)

A. know terms
B. Foliar theory of flower (how is pseudanthial theory different?)
C. know modifications of basic (4 whorls present, no fusion) flower

 III. Nomenclature

A. common names (advantages, disadvantages)
B. scientific names and what they are made of
C. rules on nomenclature (some we talked about); especially synonymy
D. type method: what is it and how does it work

 IV. Classification - Read Judd et al. 2002a chapter

A. History: know periods, important people, and what they contributed
B. artificial vs. natural vs. phylogenetic - how are they different
C. know basics of these types of classification systems (folk, Greek, herbal, Linnaean mechanical, natural (generally), Engler Prantl, Bessey (and how influenced later ones), APG
D. how evolutionary theory has been incorporated into natural systems
E. problems associated with any classification
F. how do "folk" classifications compare with "scientific" classifications?

 V. Rise of Angiosperms

A. what is the "abominable mystery"
B. fossil evidence bearing on this problem? - Read Sun et al. paper
C. primitive flowers, inflorescences?
D. most ancient angiosperm?
E. closest relative to angiosperm?
F. DNA evidence on these problems
G. What problems remain unsolved in the "abominable mystery"?

 VI. Chemosystematics - Read Rodman et al. paper

A. morphology vs. molecules
B. main micromolecules

1. flavonoids and systematic use
2. anthocyanins, betalains and systematic use (order Caryophyllales or Centrospermae)

what do we now know about relationships with the order Caryophyllales or Centrospermae? and does this knowledge impact on the systematic use of betalains?


3. mustard oils (also called glucosinolates or isothiocyanates) and their systematic use (order Capparales)  Read Rodman et al. paper

why were the mustard oil plants always considered a hodge podge of different orders and subclasses? what does the molecular evidence indicate about the evolution of mustard oil biosynthetic pathways?


 VII. Review angiosperm groups covered

A. Basal angiosperms (covered in lecture and lab - monocots not covered yet)

1. know major characters of this group; how does it relate to Bessey's order "Ranales" or to Cronquist's subclass Magnoliidae?
2. know difference between this group and Eudicots
3. families to know important vegetative, floral, fruit, inflorescence characters and other tidbits of information mentioned with these families (chemicals, biogeography, or other unusual features)

a. Amborellaceae
b. Nymphaeaceae
c. Magnoliaceae
d. Annonaceae
e. Aristolochiaceae

B.  Basal Eudicots (in part - Proteales not required to know)

1. Ranunculids = Ranunculales

2. families to know important vegetative, floral, fruit, inflorescence characters and other tidbits of information

a. Ranunculaceae
b. Berberidaceae
c. Papaveraceae/Fumariaceae


Laboratory 1 Exam Study Sheet

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 Laboratory practical will be given in laboratory during week 5, Sep. 30 - Oct.2, and covers labs 2-4.

A. Bring Gleason & Cronquist if you have it

B. Recognize and be able to identify by genus and common name the 8 genera of conifers (use herbarium sheets and slide images for review)

C. Know and identify floral parts and modifications in general (review tobacco, fuchsia, and snapdragon dissections)

D. Know what floral formulas are saying

E. Recognize certain mentioned fruit and inflorescence types from Basal angiosperms and Ranunculids

F. Recognize floral features from dissected or demonstration material of Basal angiosperms and Ranunculids

G. Recognize and be able to identify by genus, family, common name the required plants from the Basal angiosperms and Ranunculids

H. Know how to use keys and glossary in Gleason and Cronquist and be able to key out an unknown plant species if given the genus

I. Review handout on plant collections


Lecture 2 Exam Study Sheet

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Exam on Friday, Nov. 7, will cover all lectures through and including Monday, Oct. 27 (pollination biology) as well as the lecture on Friday, Oct. 31 (carnivores, parasites, mycotrophs). It will not include the lecture on Wednesday, Oct. 29 (Lower Asterids). Format will be very similar to that of Exam 1. Get set of possible questions for Exam 2 Note: there are 3 special readings for this exam - see below for links.

 I. Review angiosperm groups covered

Get floral formulas for Caryophyllids & Rosids

Go to lecture powerpoints

     A. Caryophyllales - the Caryophyllids

1. characters defining the core families (the "Centrospermae")

2. families to know important vegetative, floral, fruit, inflorescence characters and other tidbits of information

a. Phytolaccaceae
b. Caryophyllaceae
c. Portulacaceae
d. Cactaceae
e. Amaranthaceae (includes Chenopodiaceae)

f. family Polygonaceae characters (know ocrea character)

     B.  Saxifragales (basal Rosid?)

1.  Order Saxifragales - what defines this set of families?

2.  families to know important vegetative, floral, fruit, inflorescence characters and other tidbits of information

a. Saxifragaceae
b. Crassulaceae

      C.  Rosids

1.  How is the new Rosid group different from the Rosid group of Cronquist? How do you separate the Rosids from the Asterids?

2.  Some orders are fairly natural groupings and were stressed in lecture. Know how these orders are defined morphologically.

Rosales, Malpighiales, Fagales, Malvales, Brassicales, Myrtales

3.  Families to know important vegetative, floral, fruit, inflorescence characters and other tidbits of information

Rosaceae [and subfamilies], Ulmaceae, Moraceae, Fabaceae [and subfamilies], Violaceae, Salicaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Fagaceae, Juglandaceae, Betulaceae, Anacardiaceae, Sapindaceae (in the broad sense, including Aceraceae), Malvaceae, Brassicaceae, Onagraceae

4.  Know which groups have N-fixing members.

5.  Fruit types and from what kinds of gynoecia/flowers/inflorescence they derive: follicle, achene, aggregate of achenes, drupe, pome, multiple fruit (syconium), pepo, nut, samara, capsule, silique/silicle

 II. Evolution - Read Judd et al. 2002b chapter

A. Evolution (define) and variation (what kinds are there?)

B. Driving forces in evolution (natural selection, genetic drift)

C. Biological species concept and isolating mechanisms: know the importance of reproductive isolation, what kinds of isolating mechanisms work in plants?

D. Speciation (geographical, quantum, hybrid, polyploid): know the differences, examples, relative importance of these in plants

 III. Phylogenetics

A. Know differences between phenetics and cladistics, phenogram vs. cladogram

B. History of the different phylogenetic methods

C. Terminology with the two main approaches (review terms in handout sheet - just the important ones mentioned in class)

D. Concepts of homology, convergence, parsimony, homoplasy

E. Monophyly, paraphyly, polyphyly (have an example of each from lecture)


 IV.  Pollination Biology - Read Hapeman and Inoue paper

A. Know basics of the most common pollination syndromes (i.e. wind, hymenopterans, birds)

B. Know the fig wasp story

C. What does molecular phylogenetics tell us about evolution of pollination systems in Platanthera orchids? (Hapeman and Inoue paper)

 V. Carnivores, parasites, mycotrophs - Read Davis et al. paper

A. Know basic issues of the biology of being these weird plants and why and where they might evolve

B. Know basic systematic issues of trying to place these plants (convergence, divergence, etc.)


Laboratory 2 Exam Study Sheet

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 Laboratory practical will be given in laboratory during week 10, Nov. 4-6

 Laboratory practical covers Caryophyllids, Rosid I, Rosid II; not Phylogenetics

 

A. Recognize certain mentioned fruit and inflorescence types from Caryophyllids, basal Rosids and Rosids

B. Recognize floral features from dissected or demonstration material of Caryophyllids, basal Rosids and Rosids

C. Know the differences well among the four subfamilies of Rosaceae and the three subfamilies of Fabaceae

D. Recognize and be able to identify by genus, family, common name the required plants from the three groups

E. Know how to use keys and glossary in Gleason and Cronquist and be able to key out an unknown plant species, even if the genus or perhaps family is not given


 

Lecture 3 Exam Study Sheet

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Exam on Friday, Dec. 12, will cover all lectures from Friday, Oct. 31 through and including Wednesday, Dec. 10. Final grades (including plant collection, 3rd lecture/lab exam, misc. lab points) will be posted sometime during Exam Week.

A study set of questions from which most of the essay, fill in blank, and short answers will come from is available here.

 I. Review angiosperm groups covered

      A.  Asterids:   Get floral formulas for Asterids

1.  How is this group now defined in terms of flowers, chemicals, anatomical characters? How is it differentiated from the Rosids? In what ways are the Lower Asterids more intermediate between Rosids and Asterids? How are the basal asterids differentiated from the euasterids? Do not worry about knowing what ties together the orders.

2.  Families to know important vegetative, floral, fruit, inflorescence characters and other tidbits of information

Ericaceae (broad sense), Primulaceae, Cornaceae, Gentianaceae, Asclepiadaceae, Rubiaceae, Solanaceae, Convolvulaceae, Lamiaceae, Scrophulariaceae (in the broad, Cronquistian sense, but know how it is now broken up in APG and why), Apiaceae, Campanulaceae, Caprifoliaceae, Asteraceae (know this one well!)

      B.  Monocots:   Get floral formulas for Monocots

1.  Know the basic groups that have been mentioned and how to recognize them (Alismatales - aquatics + aroids, lilioids, commelinoids); know vegetative, floral, and pollination biology trends in the monocots (especially in different lineages). Which groups are monophyletic and which ones are not? Be clear on how the inflorescence and flowers has been modified (reduced) repeatedly in different lines of monocots.

2.  Review discussion on the origin of monocots, nature of the monocot leaf, and primitive monocots; and how molecular data has impacted on these ideas & what major groups they define.

3.  Families (& one order) to know important vegetative, floral, fruit, inflorescence characters and other tidbits of information

Araceae, Liliaceae (sensu Cronquist, realize that is now broken up in APG and why), Iridaceae, Orchidaceae, Arecaceae, Bromeliaceae, Juncaceae, Cyperaceae, Poaceae

 II.  Special lectures

Biogeography, Molecular Systematics, Adaptive Radiation, and Evolution of Land Plants should be reviewed (see study questions).

Read the paper: Lomolino et al 2006 -Reconstructing the History of Biotas

 


 

Laboratory 3 Exam Study Sheet

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 Laboratory practical will be given in laboratory during week 15, Dec. 9-11

 Laboratory practical covers Asterids I, Asterids II, and Monocots

 

A. Recognize certain mentioned fruit and inflorescence types from these groups

B. Recognize floral features from dissected or demonstration material of of these groups

C. Recognize and be able to identify by genus, family, common name the required plants from the three groups

D. Know how to use keys and glossary in Gleason and Cronquist and be able to key out an unknown plant species, even if the genus or perhaps family is not given

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