Unit details

PLNT2204 Plant Diversity and Evolution

Credit

6 points

Offering
(see Timetable)

Availability	Location	Mode
Semester 2	UWA (Perth)	Face to face
Semester 2	Online	Online Restricted

Details for undergraduate courses

• Level 2 core unit in the Botany; Environmental Science and Ecology; Biodiversity and Evolution; Plant Biology major sequences
• Level 2 elective

Content

This unit provides an introduction to the incredible diversity of the land plants emphasising the flora of Western Australia. Students are provided with a fundamental knowledge of plant systematics regarding taxonomy, classification, plant morphology, practical plant uses and phylogenetic study. The unit is designed to incorporate both new and traditional methods to provide a foundation in the study of the diversity of plants from a phylogenetic perspective. All major groups of plants (from Glaucocystis to angiosperms) are introduced with an emphasis on the most common plant groups found in the Western Australian flora. The theory and practical use of phylogeny are applied directly to the plant groups studied in the unit. Practicals include living and herbarium specimens for first-hand examples of the plant groups and their characteristics.

Outcomes

Students are able to (1) identify and understand the diversity of the major groups of land plants in a phylogenetic context; (2) understand the importance of phylogeny in modern day plant classification; (3) understand and use plant morphology in the context of plant taxonomy and classification; (4) gain field experience of many of the angiosperm families and some genera common to Australia; and (5) use their skills to identify plants of Western Australia.

Assessment

Indicative assessments in this unit are as follows: (1) a practical test; (2) assignments; and (3) a written examination. Further information is available in the unit outline.

For units commencing in May 2022 or later the availability of the supplementary assessment is subject to confirmation.

Student may be offered supplementary assessment in this unit if they meet the eligibility criteria.

Except where supplementary assessment is not available in a unit, it will be offered to students in all units who:

• Are in good academic standing overall;
• Have passed over half the units taken in the teaching period concerned, except where they are only enrolled in two or less units in the period;
• Have submitted all assessment items in the unit;
• Have achieved a mark between 45 and 49 for the unit overall, or the same mark in any failed component item in the unit; and
• No finding of academic misconduct has been made against them in the unit concerned.

Additionally student may apply for supplementary assessment in any unit which is the final unit required for graduation in there course and where they have achieved a mark between 45 and 49 for the unit overall, or the same mark in any failed component item in the unit.

Unit Coordinator(s)

Dr Pieter Poot

Unit rules

Prerequisites:

Successful completion of one Unit(s) BIOL1130 Frontiers in Biology (ID 1254) or Unit(s) BIOL1131 Plant and Animal Biology (ID 1244) or Unit(s) SCIE1106 Molecular Biology of the Cell (ID 1019)

Co-requisites:

Nil

Incompatibility:

Nil

Contact hours

lectures: 2 hours per week; practicals: 3 hour per week; field trip: one day

Note

`

Texts

Majer, S and Burrows, G. Botanical Field Guide: Aracaria Guides, Mullumbimby, NSW, 2011.

Recommended
reading

Harris, J. G. and Woolf-Harris, M. Plant Identification Terminology: an Illustrated Glossary: Spring Lake Publishing 1994

Simpson, M. G. Plant Systematics: Elsevier Academic Press 2006

Barrett, R. and Tay, E. P. Perth Plants: a Field Guide to the Bushland and Coastal Flora of Kings Park and Bold Park, Perth, Western Australia: Botanical Gardens and Parks Authority 2005

Other local plant identification guides will be useful, For example:

Blackall, W. E. and Grieve, B. J. How to Know Western Australian Wildflowers, parts 1 to 5: UWA Press 1980

Corrick, M. G. et al. Wildflowers of Southern Western Australia: The Five Mile Press 1996

    Marshall, J. Wildflowers of the West Coast Hills Region: Quality Publishing 1995

Thiele, K. R. and Adams L. G. Families of Flowering Plants of Australia: an Interactive Identification Guide, rev.: Australian Biological Resources Study/CSIRO Publishing 2002 (CD-ROM)

Wheeler, J. et al. Flora of the South West, parts 1 and 2: UWA Press 2002