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Bot 101Botany: A Human Concern

“What drives life is a little current, kept up by the sunshine”

All life is dependent on Plants as a source of carbon and energy

Humans use plants as a source of:

FoodSpicesFiberWood (lumber)MedicineDrugsAestheticsCulture and tradition

Neanderthal Man gathered nuts, seeds and rose hips 300,000 years ago

Ötzi the ice man carried herbs and wore garments fashioned from grass over 5000 years ago

Plants as part of human Culture

Theophrastus was the“Father of Botany”

Death of Socrates

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Medicine men and shaman had knowledge of the

medicinal properties of local plants

Blue‐green algae

Red algae

Green algae

Brown Algae Fungi

Flowering plantsGymnosperms

???

Plant KingdomAnimal Kingdom

What are Plants?• photosynthetic• multicellular• immobile

Initially plants were considered as anything that was not an animal

Phylogenetic tree based on the small subunit ribosomal RNA gene. Thermophilic lineages are red, photosynthetic lineages are green.

Photosynthesis evolved in many distantly related organisms

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1. origin of plants from algae

2. evolution of vascular tissue

3. evolution of seeds

4. evolution offlowers

The Embryophytes

Flowers, Fruits MIDTERM I18

Ch. 4Vegetative StructuresPhotosynthesis, Transpiration and Respiration

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Ch. 5 & 6Plant TissuesReproduction in Flowering Plants13

Ch. 3Seed Seedling and Plant

Roots and Leaves11

Chs. 3 & 18Plant PropagationStems, Wood and Fiber8

Ch. 3MitosisThe Plant Body6

Ch. 2The Plant CellCells, Organelles and Membranes4

Ch. 1Building Blocks of LifeApril 1

Ch. 9Diversity in PlantsThe Greening of the Earth30

IntroductionMarch 28

ReadingLabTopicDate

StarchMidterm II13

andVegetative Vegetables11

Ch.14Proteins, Sugars, FatsCassava, Taro and other starchy staples9

Ch. 14PeppersRoot Crops: Potato6

Ch. 13and Legumes and protein4

Chs. 16 & 24

Spices, Oils, CaffeineCoffee, Tea and ColaMay 2

Ch. 17RespirationSpices and Perfumes29

Ch.12TranspirationCorn and Rice27

Ch. 12PhotosynthesisImportant Grains, Wheat25

PollinationAgriculture in the New World22

Ch. 11andOrigin of AgricultureApril 20

6:00 p.m.Final ExamJUNE 7

Open3

Diversity of Plants revisited

Plants in the PNWJune 1

Memorial Day30

Ch. 26Ecology, Oxygen and Oil27

Chs. 22 & 23

Plant Responses to the Environment

Algae and Fungi25

Ch. 18Vegetative Fibers: Cotton, Linen and Rayon

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Ch. 18Wood and Paper20

Chs. 20 & 21

Bioactive DrugsPsychoactive Drugs and Poisons18

Ch. 19Medicines and HerbalsMay 160

Text:Plants and Society 4th editionby Levetin and McMahon

Mark T. Patterson2092 Cordley Halloffice hours: WF 11-12 noon737-5571pattersm@science.oregonstate.edu

This week’s lab: Plant Diversity

Laboratory instructors:Jessica BrunsonNate MillerRachel Roberts

Course web pagehttp://oregonstate.edu/instruct/bot101