Module Code and Title: BDC203 Introduction to Plant Taxonomy

Programme: BSc in Environmental Management

Credit: 12

Module Tutor: Kinley Dorji (Coordinator), Tshewang Dorji

General objective: This module presents the current principles of taxonomy, which includes the importance of taxonomy and systematics, characteristics, different approaches to biological classification, and concepts of categories. It aims to provide necessary knowledge and skills of plant specimen collection, identification and documentation for ecological studies.

Learning outcomes – On completion of the module, students will be able to:

1. Define plant taxonomy and systematics
2. Explain the importance of plant taxonomy
3. Discuss the evolution of taxonomic system of classification
4. Describe different taxonomic system/structure of classification
5. Identify plants based on its taxonomic description
6. Explain the principles of taxonomic nomenclature
7. Appraise the economic use of some common plant species in Bhutan
8. Prepare herbarium for ecological studies
9. Describe some of the common plant species of Bhutan.

Learning and teaching approach :

Assessment Approach:

1. Practical assessment (individual): 10%

i. Study the modifications of leaf (5%)

The students will be taken around the RTC campus and made to collect specimens of some common plant species and do the following activities to study the differences between spines and stem spines, tendrils and stem tendrils, and learn the significance attributed to insectivorous habit.

ü Identify the plant to species level

ü Observe the external morphology of each specimen.

ü Draw diagrams to bring out the differences in each modification

1% Correct identification

3% Mophological diagram

1% Fucntions

ii. Study and identify different types of inflorescences (5%)

Student will be taken around the RTC campus and made to collect specimens of some common plant species and do the following activities:

ü Collect inflorescences of locally available plants.

ü Identify it.

ü Characterise the inflorescences - racemose/cymose, raceme/cyme, and axillary/terminal.

ü Draw labeled diagram of inflorescence – epigynous/perigynous/hypogynous.

1% Correct identification

3% Mophological diagram

1% Fucntions

2. Forum discussions via VLE: 10%

Discussion 1 (5%): topics related to types of taxonomic data and their efficacy in taxonomic hierarchy

Discussion 2 (5%): topics related to principles, characteristics and practices of plant nomenclature, botanical names and phylocode

The VLE forum discussions will be hosted over one day each, spread out over the semester. Students will be given readings on issues related to the upcoming discussion topic to be read, then reflected upon/discussed together in the VLE forum. Each student will have to participate with appropriate discussion points in the VLE forums in line to the flow of discussions therein. Students may make multiple posts as appropriate totalling to approximately 300-500 words for each discussion. The contributions will be cumulatively assessed once a particular discussion concludes.

3% Quality of analysis (originality, thoughtfulness of reflection, use of relevant and adequate support for all claims made, ties analysis to relevant module concepts)

2% Articulation, accuracy, and completeness

3. Block-week field-visit report: 15%

Prior to this field trip, students will be taught how to collect plant specimens, identify them, prepare them for the herbarium, and document them. During the field trip, individual students will collect six specimens of different plant species from different locations of Paro and Haa and prepare a herbarium. They will study the habitat and use(s) of the collected species to describe them and present their findings in class.

3% Adequacy of plant sample (six specimens)

5% Correct maintenance of Herbarium (pressing, drying, and mounting)

5% Correct description (Identification, nomenclature, taxonomic descriptions and uses)

2% Presentation (preparedness, delivery, content/organization, creativity)

4. Class Test: 10%

Students will take two written class tests: one before midterm and one after the midterm (5% each) of 45-min duration covering 3-5 weeks of material.

5. Midterm Examination: 15%

Students will take a written exam of 1.5-hr duration covering topics up to the mid-point of the semester. The exam will comprise structured questions like MCQ, fill-in-the-blanks, matching, definition, as well as open-ended essay questions.

6. Semester-End Examination: 40%

Students will take a written exam of 2.5-hr duration encompassing all the subject matter covered in the semester. This assessment is comprehensive and summative in nature, and will comprise structured questions like MCQ, fill-in-the-blanks, matching, definition, as well as open-ended essay questions.

Overview of assessment approaches and weighting

Pre-requisites: None

Subject matter:

1. Unit I: Introduction

1.1. Biological Classification: concept and levels

1.2. Taxonomy and Systematics

1.2.1. Systematics and the Systematist

1.2.2. Aims of Plant Systematics and Plant Taxonomy

1.3. Hierarchical Categories of Taxonomy

1.4. Basic Components of Taxonomy (Classification, Identification, Description, and Nomenclature)

1.5. Importance of Plant Taxonomy

2. Unit II: History of Plant Taxonomy

2.1. Pre-Linnaean System

2.2. Pre-Darwinian System

2.3. Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (APG)

2.4. APG IV (current systems of classifications).

3. Unit III: The Taxonomic System of Classification

3.1. Definition

3.2. Types of taxonomic system of classification (Artificial, Natural and Phyletic, Phenetic, and Cladistic Approach)

3.3. The Importance and Universality of Classification

3.4. Taxonomic Structure

3.4.1. The Species, Subspecies, Variety, and Form

3.4.2. The Genus, Family and Higher Categories

3.5. Phylogeny

3.5.1. Definition, scope and application of phylogeny.

3.5.2. Evidence for specific phylogeny

3.5.3. Phylogenetics

3.5.4. Phylogenetic tree

3.6. Type of Specimens: Holotype, Lectotype, Neotype, Epitypes, Syntypes, Paratypes, Isotypes, and Topotypes

4. Unit IV: Types of taxonomic data: Characteristics and their efficacy in taxonomic hierarchy

4.1. Morphology

4.2. Anatomy

4.3. Embryology

4.4. Palynology

4.5. Phytochemistry

4.6. Cytology and Cytogenetics

4.7. Molecular Biology

4.8. Genetics and Population Genetics

4.9. Reproductive Biology

4.10. Ecology

5. Unit V: Plant descriptions and identification

5.1. Plant Parts (root, stem, leaf, inflorescence, placentation, and fruit)

5.2. Floral Formula and Floral Diagram

5.3. Characters often Considered before Plant Identification

5.4. Identification with Keys

5.5. Some Unconventional Identification Methods

5.6. Artificial Keys for the Identification of some common Families of Angiosperm

5.7. Some selected families of Dicotyledons and monocotyledons from Bhutan: their identifying characteristics, significance, and distribution

5.7.1. Cupressaceae, Moraceae, Quercaceae, Pinaceae, and Bombacaceae

5.7.2. Musaceae, Orchidaceae, Amaryllidaceae, Liliaceae, Gramineae

6. Unit VI: Plant Nomenclature, Botanical Names and Phylocode

6.1. Fundamentals of Plant Nomenclature

6.1.1. Common Names, Scientific Names, and Binomial Nomenclature

6.1.2. International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (ICBN)

6.1.3. Some Important Rules of Nomenclature

6.2. Botanical Names: Common Prefixes and Suffixes used in Specific Epithets

6.3. Phylocode: A New System of Nomenclature

6.3.1. Principles of the Phylocode

6.3.2. Registration Database of Phylocode

6.3.3. History and future of Phylocode

7. Unit VII: Economic Botany

7.1. Medicinal plants of Bhutan: prevalence, use and significance (economic and social).

7.2. Plant based psychoactive drugs: significance in medical field

7.3. Grains and forage grasses: Use in agriculture, and its economic significance

7.4. Wood and non-wood forest products: economic significance.

7.5. Various plant species for production of fibers, dyes, inks and tannins: classification, origin and use.

7.6. Plant species used in cosmetics: identification, use and threats.

List of practical work :

a. Study the leaf modification and inflorescence of various plant species in RTC campus.

b. Students will participate in a block-week field visit to Paro and Haa, shared with other modules in this semester. During this field trip, students will observe various plants in different agro-ecological zones, and collect specimins for documentation using photograph and herbarium preparation for the study of taxonomic classification.

c. Herbarium preparation techniques and practice: pressing, drying, mounting, and labelling.

d. Field equipment and its usage: Plant press, knife, cutter/secateurs, digger, altimeter/(GPS), old newspapers/blotters, corrugated sheets, straps/string cords, polythene bags, tags, marker/pen/pencil, and herbarium bag.

Reading List:

Essential Reading

Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (1998). An ordinal classification for the families of flowering plants. Annals of Missouri Botanical Garden, 85, pp. 531-553.

Angiosperm Phylogeny Group II. (2003). An update of the angiosperm phylogeny group classification for the orders and families of flowering plants. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 141, pp. 399-436.

Angiosperm Phylogeny Group III. (2009). An update of the angiosperm phylogeny group classification for the orders and families of flowering plants: APG III. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 161, pp. 105-121.

Angiosperm Phylogeny Group IV. (2016). An update of the angiosperm phylogeny group classification for the orders and families of flowering plants: APG IV. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 181, pp. 1-20.

Byng, J.W., Chase, M.W., Christenhusz, M.J.M., Fay, M.F., Judd, W.S., Mabberley, D.J., Sennikov, A.N., Soltis, D.E., Soltis, P.S., & Stevens, P.F. (2016). An update of the angiosperm phylogeny group classification for the orders and families of flowering plants: APG IV. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 181, pp. 1-20.

Grierson, A. J. C., Schafer-Verwimp, A., Long, D. G., Noltie, H. J., Pearce, N. R., & Cribb, P. J. (2002). Flora of Bhutan (9 volume set). Edinburgh: Royal Botanical Gardens of Edinburgh.

Kochhar, S.L. (2016) Economic botany: A comprehensive study (5 ^th ed.).Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

Lawrence, A., & Hawthorne, W. (2008). Plant identification: Creating user-friendly field guides for biodiversity management. Abingdon: Routledge and CPC Press.

Simpson, M. G. (2006). Plant systematics. Amsterdam: Elsevier Academic Press.

Stuessy, T. F. (2009). Plant taxonomy. New York: Columbia University Press.

Additional Reading

Besse, P. (Ed). (2014). Molecular plant taxonomy: Methods and protocols. New Jersey: Humana Press.

Davis, P. H., & Cullen, J. (1989). The identification of flowering plant families: Including a key to those cultivated in north temperate regions (3rd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Krug, I. (2008). Guidelines for identification and collection of medicinal plants in Bhutan . Thimphu: Ministry of Agriculture and Forest.

Namgyel, T., &Tenzin, K. (2009). A photo guide to flowers of Bhutan. Thimphu: WWF Bhutan.

Pandey, B. P. (2001). Plant anatomy. New Delhi: S Chand & Co.

Sharma, O. P. (2009). Plant taxonomy (2nd ed.). New Delhi: Tata McGraw-Hill Education Private Limited.

Singh, G. (2018). Plant systematics: Theory and practice (3rd ed.). India: CBS Publishers & Distributors Pvt Ltd.

Swain, T. (Ed.). (2012). Chemical plant taxonomy. Cambridge: Academic Press

Bhutan Biodiversity Portal for constant update about the floral and faunal biodiversity of Bhutan. https://biodiversity.bt/

June 2021