Vascular Flora of Wisconsin - Botany 401
Class Information
Lecture: T R 9:55-10:45 p.m. Birge 346
Ken Sytsma, 250 Birge Hall, 262-4490
-
kjsytsma@wisc.edu
office hour - Tues / Thur 11-12 or by appointment
Laboratory:
301 M W 1:30-3:30 p.m. Birge 243
Ben Grady, 258 Birge, 262-4422 - Lab 301
brgrady@wisc.edu
office hour - by appointment
302 T Th 1:30-3:30 p.m. Birge 243
Bryan Drew, 256 Birge, 262-4422 - Lab 302
bdrew@wisc.edu
office hour - by appointment
Textbooks:
Fassett, Norman C. 1976. Spring Flora of Wisconsin: a manual of plants growing without cultivation and flowering before June 15. 4th ed. Revised and enlarged by Olive S. Thomson. The University of Wisconsin Press. Madison. 413 pp.
Recommended books: limited number of these will be available in the lab
Black, M.R. and E.J. Judziewicz. 2008. Wildflowers of Wisconsin and the Upper Midwest. UW Stevens Point Press - just published guide specific to Wisconsin; nicely illustrated with descriptions, diagnostic features, and biogeographical distributions [this book is available from the instructor at authors' cost - will be available the first week of classes]
Cobb, B., E. Farnsworth, and C. Lowe. 2005. Ferns of Northeastern and Central North America. 2nd edition. [Peterson Field Guides]. Houghton Mifflin, Boston, MA. – the best up-to-date guide to ferns and their relatives. ISBN 0618394960-0
Harris, J. G. and M. W. Harris. 1994. Plant Identification Terminology. An Illustrated Glossary. Spring Lake Publ. Spring Lake, Utah.
Newcomb, L. 1977. Newcomb's Wildflower Guide. Little, Brown & Co. - nicely illustrated wildflower guide for NE and N Central USA.
Barnes, B.V. and W.H. Wagner, Jr. 2003. Michigan Trees: A Guide to the Trees of the Great Lakes Region. University of Michigan Press - one of the best book on trees (and some shrubs) of this area
Petrides, G. A. 1986. Peterson Field Guides: Trees and Shrubs. Houghton Mifflin Co. - superb guide to all woody plants (trees, shrubs, vines) in NE and N Central USA and adjacent parts of Canada.
Gleason, H. A. and A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada (2nd edition). New York Bot. Gard. (copies available in laboratory; but you may wish to purchase this if you are continuing in the field).
Purchase a hand lens and dissecting kit for use in the lab - all are available at the University Bookstore.
Grading: 400 points
Class participation (40 points). You will be graded based on attendance in both lecture and lab! The nature of the course and the material covered necessitate keeping up with the topically linked lectures and labs. Talk to the instructor or TA in advance of missing class or need to attend a different section of lab.
1 written report (40 points) on a vascular species in Wisconsin considered Endangered, Threatened, or Special Concern due on April 7. See handout more information.
2 lecture/lab examinations (160 points total, 80 points each) on March 2-3 and April 20-21. The examinations will be during the laboratory session.
1 field final examination (80 points) during exam week (May 10-17). Scheduling to be done later.
Forest site plant collection and report (80 points) due during exam week (May 10-17). See later handout on forest plots for more information — but site should be chosen no later than beginning of April.
A 368-400 C 280-303 AB 352-367 D 240-279 B 320-351 F less than 240 pts BC 304-319
Field Trips:
Several local field trips will be scheduled during lab periods after the 2nd exam.
An optional half to full day field trip to a beech-maple forest and dry prairie in southern Wisconsin will be given on Saturday, April 25. We will see plants and communities that will have been discussed during class.