DATE REVISED: March 14, 1998

PALOMAR COLLEGE COURSE OUTLINE OF RECORD FOR DEGREE CREDIT COURSE

X_____ Transfer course            X_____ A.A. degree applicable course

(check all that apply)

COURSE NUMBER AND TITLE: Botany 115 - Plants and People

UNIT VALUE: 3

MINIMUM NUMBER OF SEMESTER HOURS: 48

BASIC SKILLS REQUIREMENTS: Appropriate language and computational skills.

ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS: None

PREREQUISITE:

COREQUISITE:

RECOMMENDED PREPARATION:

SCOPE OF COURSE:

The role of plants in the world ecosystem, including past and present cultural and economic uses for food, medicines, and industrial products. Principles of plant structure and function, with selected topics on plant diversity, plant adaptations, and the interrelationships between plants and people will also be discussed.

SPECIFIC COURSE OBJECTIVES:

Upon completion of this course, the successful student will be able to:

1. Discuss the relative topics of humanistic botany;

2. Discuss the vital role of plants in the world ecosystem;

3. Discuss the role and usefulness of plants in our daily lives;

4. Compare the hierarchal categories of plant classification;

5. Discuss the use of poisonous, drug, and medicinal plants;

6. Discuss the cultivation of economically important plants, including selective breeding, polyploidy and hyridization;

7. Discuss the role of plants in famous voyages, explorations and colonizations by people throughout the world;

8. Discuss the role of alkaloid-producing plants in ancient civilizations and in the development of religions.

CONTENT IN TERMS OF SPECIFIC BODY OF KNOWLEDGE:

I. Introduction

A. Botany defined

B. Subdivisions of Botany

C. Living vs. nonliving

D. Plants vs. animals

II. Form and Function

A. Ultrastructure of plant cells

B. Osmotic properties of plant cells

C. Halophytes

D. Vegetative anatomy

E. Gas exchange

F. Photosynthesis and respiration

G. Dark fixation of carbon

H. Water movements in plants

I. Transpiration and water loss

J. Plant hormones and how they affect germination, growth, flowering and dormancy

K. Autumnal coloration (vacuolar and plastid pigments)

L. Terrestrial and oceanic oxygen production

M. Plant pigments

III. Structure and Properties of Wood

A. Specific gravity

B. Hardwoods vs. softwoods

C. Monocots vs. dicots

D. Open-grained vs. closed-grained wood

E. Evidence from wood in conviction of Bruno Hauptmann

F. Dendrochronology: tree-ring dating

G. Bristlecone pine: oldest living tree

H. Petrified wood

IV. The Naming and Classification of Plants

A. Carl Linnaeus: "Father of Plant Taxonomy"

B. Binomial system of nomenclature

C. Pronunciation of plant names

D. Modern plant taxonomy

V. Survey of Kingdoms Monera, Protista, Fungi & Plantae

A. Algae

B. Fungi

C. Bryophytes

D. Pteridophytes

E. Spermatophytes (seed plants)

F. Miscellaneous topics: largest seeds and fruits, largest seed cones, largest and smallest flowering plants, largest and smallest individual flowers, tallest tree, most massive tree, oldest living things, etc.

VI. Plant Biochemistry: Poisonous, Drug & Medicinal Plants

A. Carbohydrates: Sugars, starches, cellulose, pectin, true gums

B. Lipids: Saturated/unsaturated fats, oils and waxes

C. Proteins: Amino acid structure, enzymes, effect of Roundup

D. Nucleic Acids: Biotechnology, protein synthesis, cladistics

E. Terpenes: Resins, oleoresins, incenses, amber, essential oils

F. Phenolic Compounds: Lichen acid, essential oils, lignin

G. Alkaloids: Tobacco, quinine, narcotics and hallucinogens

H. Doctrine of signatures

I. Historical and modern drug plants

J. Identification of poisonous mushrooms

K. Plants causing dermatitis and allergic reactions

L. Marijuana controversy (THC, a terpenophenolic compound)

M. Identification of dangerously poisonous plants in S.D. County

N. Lectins, mitogens and spindle poisons

VII. Economically Important Plants (Commercially & Culturally)

A. Fruits and nuts

B. Vegetables

C. Grains (cereals)

D. The origin of corn: teosinte and pod corn hypotheses

E. Herbs and Spices

F. Beverages--including fermented juices

G. Wood Products: Including lumber, distillates, rubber and paper

H. Tannins, dyes, perfumes and textiles

I. Miscellaneous plant products

J. Economically important plant families on Palomar College campus

K. Horticultural and aesthetic value of plants

L. Interesting uses of plants by southwest Indian tribes

VIII. Heredity and Hybridization in Plants

A. Gregor Mendel

B. Natural and cultivated hybrids

C. Mitosis and polyploidy

D. Meiosis and fertility of polyploids

E. Selective plant breeding

F. Perennial teosinte--implications for future corn production

G. Why seedling fruit trees are generally unproductive

IX. Evolution and Adaptations of Plants

A. Evolution controversy

B. Charles Darwin and Alfred Wallace

C. Evidence for evolution (paleobotany)

D. Convergent evolution

E. "Missing links"

F. Isolation and disjunct distributions

G. Seed dispersal mechanisms

H. Pollination adaptations - insect-flower relationships

I. Insectivorous plants

J. Parasitic flowering plants

K. Xerophytic and hydrophytic adaptations

X. Introduction to Plant Ecology

A. Major biomes of North America

B. Life zones and plant communities

C. Native vs. naturalized plants

D. Sampling plant populations--dominance, density and frequency

E. Xerarch and hydrarch succession

F. Shade intolerant (pioneer) and shade tolerant (climax) species

G. Retrogression

H. Fire ecology--post burn succession and plant adaptations

I. Food webs, ecosystems, nutrient cycles and nitrogen fixation

J. Detrimental effects of humans upon the biosphere

K. Organically grown vs. natural foods

L. The green revolution

REQUIRED READING:

Simpson, Beryl B. and Molly Conner-Ogorzaly. Economic Botany: Plants In Our World. 2nd Edition New York: McGraw-Hill Publishing Company, 1995.

Selected journal articles on botanical subjects provided by the instructor. Including numerous articles about plants and people on Wayne's Word®: An On-Line Textbook of Natural History, published on-line through Palomar College (https://www2.palomar.edu/users/warmstrong/index.htm).

SUGGESTED READING:

Lewis, W.H. & M. P. Elvin-Lewis. Medical Botany. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, 1977.

Schery, R.W. Plants for Man. Menlo Park: Prentice-Hall, 1972.

Klein, R.M. The Green World - An Introduction to Plants and People. New York: Harper and Row, 1986.

REQUIRED WRITING:

A five-page term paper on economically or medicinally useful plants, with minimum of five journal references and formatted according to AIBS Style Manual for Biological Journals.

OUTSIDE ASSIGNMENTS:

Students are expected to spend a minimum of three hours per unit per week in class and on outside assignments, prorated for short term classes.

Outside assignments include required textbook readings, lecture supplements and preparation for examinations. Students will also be required to complete a five-page term paper on economically or medically useful plants, read selected published articles, and develop an economic plant/plant product chart using suggested readings and library research.

INSTRUCTIONAL METHODOLOGY:

Check all that apply:

x____ lecture

_____ laboratory

_____ lecture-laboratory combination

_____ directed study

Classroom lectures supplemented with 35mm transparencies, botanical charts and models, living and preserved botanical materials (from Palomar College Herbarium - PASM); microscope demonstrations will also be used and occasional field trips to local botanical gardens (Palomar College Arboretum, Quail Botanic Garden and Balboa Park).

This course may be offered as a distance education course and meets Title 5 regulations 55370, 55372, 55374, 55376, 55378, and 55380.

Yes _____      No X_____

If yes, check all that apply. (See guidelines for preparation for definitions.)

____ telecourse

____ mediated instruction

____ computer assisted instruction

GRADING POLICY AND STANDARDS (include methods for determining whether the stated objectives have been met by students):

Final grade is based on total points accumulated during the semester. 85% of grade = a minimum of four objective/subjective examinations (multiple choice and essay), plus a comprehensive final exam. The term paper and economic plant chart account for the remaining points (15%).

The grade scale is based on the following percentages of the highest student (i.e., student with highest point total--excluding extra credit):

>95% (A)   >85% (B)   >65% (C)   >50% (D)   Less Than 50% (F)

IS COURSE REPEATABLE FOR REASON(S) OTHER THAN DEFICIENT GRADE?

Yes _____ No   X _____

Number of times course may be taken for credit:    1

If yes, identify specific provision of Title 5 Division 2 section(s) 55761-55763 and 58161 which qualifies course as repeatable:

 CONTACT PERSON: Wayne P. Armstrong, x.2524

SIGNATURES:

By signing this form, I certify that this course outline of record meets all the minimum requirements for associate degree credit courses as specified in Title 5 section 55002.

Prepared by (signature & date):
____________________________________________________

Department Chairperson/Director (signature & date):
____________________________________________________

Division Dean (signature & date):
____________________________________________________

Curriculum Committee Representative (signature & date):
____________________________________________________

Course outlines should be reviewed regularly and revised as necessary.

NOTE: Some revisions to course outlines of record require Curriculum Committee approval, others may not. Please consult your dean or the Instruction Office if you need assistance.

March 14, 1998

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