Plants of the Day

 

Lecture 1 Exam

Lecture 2 Exam

Lecture 3 Exam

Holloween BotCostumes

 

Images of "plants of the day" mentioned in lecture will be added here as they are covered in lecture. Extra credit will be provided for solving the question given for each plant.

Adansonia baobabs Who is now the world expert on this genus of plants named after Michel Adanson? And what interesting systematic study did he/she do on these trees besides molecular phylogenetic analysis?

 

 

Laurus nobilis laurel Why is the Mediterranean basal angiosperm laurel forever linked with the Olympics? Hint: the image on the right is from Greek mythology and the shrub/tree laurel is evident to the left of that image.

 

Darwin's species notebooks contain this tree diagram, the first phylogenetic tree devised. It is also shown in the last Science issue of September, 2006. What is that article about and what is it arguing?

 

What is this plant? Shown here are the fruits that have rolled down the lawn behind the greenhouses of Birge Hall towards University Avenue. A close up of one of these "grapefruit"-like fruits is shown at the bottom right.

 

Artocarpus - breadfruit of the Moraceae - will be forever linked with the Mutiny on the Bounty and Captain Bligh and Fletcher Christian. Breadfruit is seen on the deck of the Bounty in this scene where Captain Bligh is set adrift in a rowboat. Find out where the breadfruit came from and where it was being taken by the Bounty.

 

Tilia europea - European basswood, lime tree, linden, or lin The names "lin" and "Carl Linne" or "Carolus Linnaeus" appear to be derived from the same root word. What is the story connecting these two names?

 

Aralia nudicaulis - wild sarsaparilla One of the original ingredients for root beer flavoring - sarsaparilla or sasparilla. Find one other plant family (of several) that is also a source of similar flavoring ingredient.

 

What family does this South American parasite belong to?

 

Lodoicea maldivica coco-de-mer, double-nut, Seychelles palm This genus of 1 species is endemic to the Seychelles and has generated a lot of interest in having the largest seed known, and in that the shape of the seed has suggested the devil's work or aphrodisiacal properties. What is unusual about how this species was first discovered?

 

Halloween Plant Costumes by Botany 400 Students

Arctium lappa

Cucurbita pepo

Dionaea muscipula

Ficus bengalensis

Hedera helix

This could be you!

Ribes hirtellum

Juglans X Malus

Rudbeckia hirta

Halloween Plant Costumes by other Crazy Botanists

Rafflesia Dan Nickrent

Sarracenia