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Vascular Flora of Wisconsin - Botany 401
Spring 2020

Exams [exam 2 link]

[take home portion for exam 1] - take home exam due by lecture, Thursday March 5

Your first exam is coming! Monday and Tuesday, March 2/3, lab exams will be conducted during regular lab period. The exams are closed-book except for the keying exercises. This is a pretty typical lab exam format: many stations to visit, with questions heavily emphasizing things you can see and often touch. Most questions on the exam will be short answer. Many will simply involve writing the correct scientific or common name for an herbarium specimen, live plant, or flower.

Lecture material will be integrated into the exam as short answer, matching, true/false, and essay. Familial and generic characteristics introduced in lecture will only be covered if we also saw those families or genera in lab. Download lecture material to study.

Each of the three exams (including this one) is worth 90 of the total 400 points towards your final grade in this course.

Fair game for the exam:

1. All species, genera, common names, and families listed on the handouts, including the ones you keyed out - see below for 'Master List' You should be able to identify any plant we show you and also identify the characteristics that set it apart. Recall that scientific names and genera are underlined (or italicized if typed); and family names are capitalized but not underlined.

2. Gross (that is "general" !) characteristics of families and genera. This includes lecture materials and lab materials. It also includes family characteristics that you would come across in the keys.

3. Floral and vegetative features. Be able to identify them on plants. You should, for instance, be able to answer a "What is this structure?" question as well as a "Which one of these flowers has a hypanthium?" question. Be familiar with all terms presented on the floral morphology handout as well as terms that have showed up in the keys. You should be familiar with those vegetative morphology terms that pertain to the plants we have looked at in lab. You should be familiar with floral formulas; both creating them and interpreting them.

4. Keying. Be able to key out any plant you see using Field Manual of Michigan Flora or the conifer / vascular cryptogam keys handed out. Please bring your copy of Field Manual of Michigan Flora to the exam as you will probably need it to key out a plant.

5. Lecture material. Ideas and concepts raised in lecture pertaining to the flora, vegetation of Wisconsin.These could involve biogeographical patterns, unusual phylogenetic relationships, nomenclatural issues, breeding systems, pollination biology, ecological adaptations, endangered species, invasive species. Download lecture material to study.

Good luck! Please let us know if you have any questions.

Master list of plants to know

You are responsible for all families, genera, species, and common names listed below.

You are responsible to know information about the 8 highlighted families from the labs (in red below).

You should know some major groupings above the family level: the phyla covered and informal gropus (e.g. "basal angiosperms," "basal eudicots," "rosids," "caryophyllids"). You are not responsible for knowing orders.

 

Vascular cryptogams

Lycopodiophyta

Huperzia lucidulum (Lycopodiaceae) 'Shining clubmoss'
Dendrolycopodium
(Lycopodiaceae) 'Tree clubmoss', 'Ground-pine'

Polypodiophyta

Adiantum pedatum (Pteridaceae) 'Maidenhair fern'
Dryopteris (Dryopteridaceae) 'Wood or Shield fern'
Equisetum (Equisetaceae) 'Horsetail'
Polypodium virginianum (Polypodiaceae) 'Rock-cap fern'
Athyrium (Athyriaceae) 'Lady fern'
Pteridium aquilinum (Dennstaedtiaceae) 'Bracken fern'
Onoclea sensibilis (Onocleaceae) 'Sensitive fern'
Osmunda (Osmundaceae) 'Cinnamon or Interrupted fern'

Gymnosperms

Cupressaceae

Juniperus (Cupressaceae) 'Juniper'
Thuja occidentalis (Cupressaceae) 'Northern white cedar,' 'Eastern arborvitae'

Pinaceae

Abies balsamea (Pinaceae) 'Balsam fir'
Larix (Pinaceae) 'Tamarack,' 'Larch'
Picea (Pinaceae) 'Spruce'
Pinus banksiana (Pinaceae) 'Jack pine'
Pinus strobus (Pinaceae) 'White pine'
Pinus resinosa (Pinaceae) 'Red pine'
Tsuga canadensis (Pinaceae) 'Eastern hemlock'

Taxaceae

Taxus (Taxaceae) 'Yew'

Basal angiosperms

Aristolochiaceae

Asarum canadense (Aristolochiaceae) 'Wild ginger'

Ceratophyllaceae

Ceratophyllum demersum (Ceratophyllaceae) 'Coon's tail'

Magnoliaceae

Magnolia (Magnoliaceae) 'Magnolia'

Nymphaeaceae

Nuphar variegatum (Nymphaeaceae) 'Yellow pond lily,' 'Spatterdock'
Nymphaea (Nymphaeceae) 'White water-lily'

Basal eudicots

Berberidaceae

Caulophyllum thalictroides (Berberidaceae) 'Blue Cohosh'
Berberis (Berberidaceae) 'Barberry'
Podophyllum peltatum (Berberidaceae) 'May-apple,' 'Mandrake'

Menispermaceae

Menispermum (Menispermaceae) 'Moonseed'

Papaveraceae

Chelidonium (Papaveraceae) 'Celandine'
Sanguinaria canadensis (Papaveraceae) 'Bloodroot'
Dicentra (Papaveraceae) 'Dutchman's-breeches'

Ranunculaceae

Actaea rubra (Ranunculaceae) 'Red baneberry'
Anemone (formerly Hepatica) (Ranunculaceae) 'Hepatica,' 'Liver leaf'
Anemone quinquefolia (Ranunculaceae) 'Wood anemone'
Aquilegia canadensis (Ranunculaceae) 'Columbine'
Caltha palustris (Ranunculaceae) 'Marsh marigold'
Enemion (Ranunculaceae) 'False rue anemone'
Ranunculus hispidus (Ranunculaceae) 'Swamp buttercup'
Thalictrum dioicum (Ranunculaceae) 'Early meadow-rue'

Caryophyllids

Amaranthaceae

Amaranthus (Amaranthaceae) 'Amaranth'
Chenopodium album (Amaranthaceae) 'Lamb's quarters'

Cactaceae

Opuntia (Cactaceae) 'Prickly-pear'

Caryophyllaceae

Cerastium fontanum (Caryophyllaceae) 'Mouse-ear chickweed'
Silene latifolia (Caryophyllaceae) 'White campion' 'Bladder campion'

Droseraceae

Drosera rotundifolia (Droseraceae) 'Round-leaved sundew'

Montiaceae (formerly Portulacaceae)

Claytonia virginica (Montiaceae) 'Spring beauty'

Phytolaccaceae

Phytolacca (Phytolaccaceae) 'Pokeweed'

Polygonaceae

Persicaria (Polygonaceae) 'Smartweed'
Rumex acetosella (Polygonaceae) 'Sour dock'

Rosids

Cannabaceae

Cannabis (Cannabaceae) 'Hemp' plus many other common names

Crassulaceae

Sedum (Crassulaceae) 'Stonecrop'

Cucurbitaceae

Echinocystis lobata (Cucurbitaceae) 'Wild cucumber'

Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia (Euphorbiaceae) 'Spurge'

Fabaceae

Lupinus perennis (Fabaceae) 'Wild lupine'
Robinia pseudoacacia (Fabaceae) 'Black locust'
Trifolium (Fabaceae) 'Clover'

Grossulariaceae

Ribes americanum (Grossulariaceae) 'Eastern Black Currant'

Hamamelidaceae

Hamamelis virginiana (Hamamelidaceae) 'American witch-hazel'

Hypericaceae

Hypericum perforatum (Hypericaceae) 'Common St. John's-wort'

Moraceae

Morus alba (Moraceae) 'White mulberry'

Rhamnaceae

Ceanothus americanus (Rhamnaceae) 'New Jersey Tea'
Rhamnus (Rhamnaceae) 'Buckthorn'

Rosaceae

Agrimonia gryposepala (Rosaceae) 'Common agrimony'
Geum (Rosaceae) 'Avens'
Potentilla (Rosaceae) 'Cinquefoil,' 'Potentilla'
Prunus serotina (Rosaceae) 'Wild black cherry'
Rosa multiflora (Rosaceae) 'Multiflora rose'
Rubus (Rosaceae) 'Bramble,' 'Raspberry,' 'Blackberry'
Spiraea tomentosa (Rosaceae) 'Hardhack,' 'Steeple bush'

Salicaceae

Populus (Salicaceae) 'Aspen,' 'Cottonwood,' 'Poplar'
Salix (Salicaceae) 'Willow'

Saxifragaceae

Heuchera richardsonii (Saxifragaceae) 'Prairie alumroot'
Mitella (Saxifragaceae) 'Bishop's-cap,' 'Miterwort'

Ulmaceae

Ulmus americana (Ulmaceae) 'American elm'

Urticaceae

Urtica (Urticaceae) 'Nettle'

Violaceae

Viola pubescens (Violaceae) 'Yellow violet'
Viola sororia (Violaceae) 'Common blue violet'

Vitaceae

Parthenocissus (Vitaceae) 'Virginia creeper'
Vitis (Vitaceae) 'wild grape'

2nd Exam - not cumulative, only 2nd half of labs/lectures

[take home portion for exam 2] - take home exam due on or before Tuesday April 22

Your second exam is coming. Wednesday and Thursday, April 15 and 16, lab exams will be conducted during regular lab period. The exams are closed-book except for the keying exercises. The format will be similar to the last exam. Most questions on the exam will be short answer. Many will simply involve writing the correct scientific name (underlined binomial), family and common name for an herbarium specimen, live plant, or flower.

Lecture material will be integrated into the lab exam. Familial and generic characteristics introduced in lecture will only be covered if we also saw those families or genera in lab. Available here is a pdf of Lecture 2 lecture material to study - lecture questions will come from this subset.

Each lab exam (including this one) is worth 90 of the total 400 points towards your final grade in this course.

Fair game for the exam:

1. All species, genera, common names, and families listed on the handouts, including the ones you keyed out - see below for 'Master List'. You should be able to identify any plant we show you and also identify the characteristics that set it apart. Recall that scientific names and genera are underlined (or italicized if typed); and family names are capitalized but not underlined.

2. Gross characteristics of families and genera. This includes lecture materials and lab materials. It also includes family characteristics that you would come across in the keys.

3. Floral and vegetative features. Know the vocabulary terms that have been in the lab handouts and that are used in the keys.

4. Keying. Be proficient in the use of keys.

5. Lecture material. Ideas and concepts raised in lecture pertaining to the flora, vegetation of Wisconsin. These could involve biogeographical patterns, unusual phylogenetic relationships, nomenclatural issues, breeding systems, pollination biology, ecological adaptations, endangered species, invasive species. Only the first of two special lectures - Weeds (not DNA Barcoding) - will also be involved.

Good luck! Please let us know if you have any questions.

Master list of plants to know

You are responsible for all families, genera, species, and common names listed below.

You are responsible to know information from only 12 of the 21 red highlighted families from each lab - these are preceeded by asterisks. The list of 12 required families from the 21 in red are also given to you on page 2 of the pdf of Lecture 2 lecture material to study.

You are not responsible for knowing orders, phyla, or superordinal angiosperm classification (e.g. "rosids," "asterids,").

Rosids

Juglandaceae

Carya 'Hickory'

*Fagaceae

Quercus rubra 'Red oak'

Betulaceae

Betula papyrifera 'Paper birch'
Ostrya virginiana 'Eastern hophornbeam' 'ironwood'

Onagraceae

Oenothera biennis 'Common evening primrose'
Epilobium 'Willow-herb'

Lythraceae

Lythrum 'Loosestrife'

Geraniaceae

Geranium maculatum 'Wild geranium'

Oxalidaceae

Oxalis 'Wood-sorrel'

Staphyleaceae

Staphylea 'Bladder- nut'

*Brassicaceae

Hesperis matronalis 'Dame's rocket'
Alliaria 'Garlic mustard'
Lepidium 'Pepper-weed, Pepper-grass'

Malvaceae (including former Tiliaceae)

Malva 'Mallow'
Tilia americana (former Tiliaceae) 'Basswood'

Anacardiaceae

Rhus glabra 'Smooth sumac'
Toxicodendron radicans 'Poison ivy'

Rutaceae

Zanthoxylum 'Prickly-ash'

Sapindaceae

Acer negundo 'Box-elder,' 'Ash-leaved maple'
Acer saccharum 'Sugar maple'

Asterids

*Ericaceae

Vaccinium angustifolium 'Low sweet blueberry'
Gaylussacia baccata 'Huckleberry'
Monotropa 'Indian pipe,' 'Pinesap'
Pyrola 'Shin-leaf,' 'Wintergreen'

Primulaceae

Primula meadia 'Shooting star'

Sarraceniaceae

Sarracenia purpurea 'Pitcher plant'

Polemoniaceae

Polemonium reptans 'Jacob's ladder'
Phlox 'Phlox'

Balsaminaceae

Impatiens 'Touch-me-not,' 'Jewelweed'

Cornaceae

Cornus racemosa 'Gray dogwood'

Gentianaceae

Gentiana andrewsii 'Bottle gentian'

*Apocynaceae

Apocynum androsaemifolium 'Spreading dogbane'
Asclepias syriaca 'Common milkweed'

Rubiaceae

Galium aparine 'Cleavers'

Solanaceae

Solanum 'nightshade,' 'horse-nettle'

Convolvulaceae

Convolvulus arvensis 'Field bindweed,' 'Hedge bindweed'
Cuscuta 'Dodder'

Boraginaceae

Lithospermum 'Pucoon,' 'gromwell'
Hydrophyllum virginianum 'Waterleaf'
Mertensia 'Bluebells'

Oleaceae

Fraxinus pennsylvanica 'Green ash,' 'Red ash'

*Lamiaceae

Nepeta cataria 'Catnip'
Monarda fistulosa 'Wild bergamot'
Prunella vulgaris 'Self-heal'

Verbenaceae

Verbena 'Vervain'

Orobanchaceae

Pedicularis canadensis 'Lousewort,' 'Betony'
Castilleja coccinea 'Indian paint-brush'
Conopholis 'Cancer-root'

Plantaginaceae

Plantago 'Plantain'

Lentibulariaceae

Utricularia 'Bladderwort'

*Adoxaceae

Viburnum lentago 'nannyberry'
Sambucus canadensis 'Elderberry,' 'American elder'

Caprifoliaceae

Diervilla 'Bush-honeysuckle'
Linnaea 'Twinflower'
Lonicera x bella 'hybrid Honeysuckle'

*Apiaceae (=Umbeliferae)

Daucus carota 'Queen Anne's lace,' 'Wild carrot'
Osmorhiza claytonii 'Hairy sweet cicely'
Sanicula 'Black snakeroot'

Araliaceae

Aralia nudicaulis 'Wild sarsaparilla'
Panax quinquefolius 'American ginseng

Campanulaceae

Campanula rapunculoides 'Creeping bellflower,' 'European bellflower'
Lobelia siphilitica 'Great blue lobelia'

*Asteraceae (=Compositae)

Achillea millefolium 'Common yarrow.'
Coreopsis palmata 'Prairie tickseed,' 'Prairie coreopsis.'
Aster novae-angliae 'New England aster'
Packera paupercula 'Balsam ragwort'
Hieracium aurantiacum 'Hairy hawkweed'
Antennaria 'Pussy-toes'
Helianthus 'Sunflower'
Solidago 'Goldenrod'

Monocots

Alismataceae

Sagittaria 'Arrow head'

*Araceae

Arisaema triphyllum 'Jack-in-the-pulpit'
Symplocarpus foetidus 'Skunk cabbage'

*Liliaceae

Erythronium albidum 'White trout lily'

Melanthiaceae

Trillium grandiflorum 'Big white trillium,' 'Large-flowered trillium'

Asparagaceae

Maianthemum canadense 'Canada mayflower,' 'Wild lily of the valley'

Colchicaceae

Uvularia 'Bellwort,' 'Merrybell'

Iridaceae

Iris 'Blue flag' 'Iris'
Sisyrinchium 'Blue-eyed grass.'

Orchidaceae

Goodyera 'Rattlesnake plantain'

Dioscoreaceae

Dioscorea villosa 'Wild yam,' 'Colic-root'

Smilacaceae

Smilax 'Carrion flower,' 'Greenbriar'

Commelinaceae

Tradescantia ohiensis 'Common spiderwort'

Typhaceae

Typha 'Cat-tail'

*Poaceae (=Gramineae)

Dichanthelium 'Panic grass'
Dactylis 'Orchard grass'
Phalaris arundinacea 'Reed canary grass'

*Cyperaceae

Carex pensylvanica 'Common oak sedge' 'Pennsylvania sedge'
Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani 'Soft-stem bullrush'

Juncaceae

Juncus 'Path rush'