0 or 3 credits
Fall 2025 Lecture Laboratory Upper Division
This course focuses on the systematics and evolution of land plants, with an emphasis on plant identification in both laboratory and field. Topics covered include the diversity and evolution of land plants, plant systematics and biogeography. This is a lab and field intensive course consisting of multiple field trips and hands-on laboratories. Students will master the skills required for plant identification anywhere in the world.
Learning Outcomes1Become familiar with locally important plant orders and families.
2Learn the vegetative and floral characters (and the associated terminology) that are essential for the identification of flowering plants.
3Become proficient with the use of keys so that you can quickly determine the scientific name of any plant.
4Learn how DNA sequences are used to decipher phylogenetic relationships among plants.
Prerequisites
made by Purdue students.