BsPh 102

BOTANY WITH TAXONOMY

INTRODUCTION
TO BOTANY
PLANTS
• Basic concept:
green leaves with stems, roots and flowers
• Some exceptions:
• Conifers: pines, spruce and firs; have cones rather than flowers
• Cacti/Succulents: no leaves
(Mushroom and puffballs-no longer part of plant kingdom:FUNGI)
SCIENTIFIC
METHOD
Principal methods used before the
Scientific Method:
1. Religious Methods
- The universe is assumed either to be created by or to
contain deities
- The actions of gods cannot be studied: hidden/capricious,
changing from day to day and altering natural phenomena
- Faith
- People must believe in gods even without physical proof
Principal methods used before the
Scientific Method:
2. Metaphysical System/Metaphysics
- in addition to natural forces, there are
supernatural, hidden forces that can never be
observed or studied
- luck, bad omen, horoscopes
Principal methods used before the
Scientific Method:
3. Speculative philosophy
- thinking logically
- develop logical explanations for simple observations, then
followed the logic as far as possible
- problem: often several alternative conclusions are equally
plausible logically --- experimentation
- atoms by Democritus
PLANT OR NOT?
SCIENTIFIC METHOD
• FUNDAMENTAL TENETS:
1. All accepted information can be derived only from carefully
documented and controlled observations or experiments.
2. Only phenomena and objects that can be observed and studied
are dealt with.
3. All proposed explanations of natural phenomena must be tested
and verified.
PLANTS AND PEOPLE
IMPORTANT TOPICS ON HOW PLANTS
AFFECT PEOPLE:

- a set of laboratory
techniques that allow us to
BIOTECHNOLOGY alter plants and animals,
giving them new traits and
characteristics
IMPORTANT TOPICS ON HOW PLANTS
AFFECT PEOPLE:

- caused by build-up of CO2

in our atmosphere due to the
GLOBAL WARMING
burning of coal, oil, gas and
the trees in the forest.
IMPORTANT TOPICS ON HOW PLANTS
AFFECT PEOPLE:

- results when an area is

damaged so much that a
HABITAT LOSS
particular species can no
longer survive in the area
IMPORTANT TOPICS ON HOW PLANTS
AFFECT PEOPLE:

- Conversion of
ordinary
DESERTIFICATION
forest/grassland to
desert
IMPORTANT TOPICS ON HOW PLANTS
AFFECT PEOPLE:

- Organisms that are one

part of the world but are
INTRODUCED EXOTICS
brought to another part,
where they thrive
HOW PLANTS AFFECT PEOPLE and
VICE VERSA?
1. Construction of large buildings
2. Burning of trees in forests
3. Mutations
4. Synthetic insulin
5. Drought
6. Animal extinction
7. Mining
 ORIGIN AND
EVOLUTION OF
PLANTS
ORIGIN AND EVOLUTION OF PLANTS

• NATURAL SELECTION
• Mechanism of evolution
• Cause species to change and diverge over time
ORIGIN AND ORGANISMS WERE CLASSIFIED INTO 5 LARGE
GROUPS:
EVOLUTION
1. kingdom Monera – Prokaryote; bacteria and
OF PLANTS cyanobacteria

2. kingdom Plantae – Eukaryote; plants

3. kingdom Animalia – Eukaryote; animals

4. kingdom Myceteae – Eukaryote; fungi

5. kingdom Protista – Eukaryote; single-cell organisms,

protozoans, algae