The course is carried out in Italian, although students are introduced to the use of terms, to interpret graphs and charts in English.
Course Content
The course concerns the evolution of terrestrial plants starting from Bryophytes up to Angiosperms. Particular attention is given to the morphology in relation to the reproductive biology and embryology of the Embriophyta in a comparative context. The course is integrated with laboratory exercises on the morphology and the recognition of the main groups of Embriophyta.
1) SIMPSON M.G., 2010 – Plant Systematics. 2nd. Ed. Associated Press (Elsevier), Amsterdam.
2) GIFFORD E.M. & FOSTER A.S., 1989 – Morphology and Evolution of Vascular Plants. 3rd. Edition. W.H. Freeman, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Please note that the books are only a guide to the course and that during the lessons a lot of information is taken from recent scientific articles, as well as unpublished graphics and images covered by copyright and therefore not available unless by attending the lessons. It is advisable to visit our Botanical Library full of both recommended and non-recommended texts, the latter supplementing topics, as well as consulting scientific journals mentioned during the lessons.
Learning Objectives
The educational goals that are hoped for for this course consist in the acquisition of the evolutionary and adaptive processes of terrestrial plants in a comparative view with respect to the notions acquired in the course of Botany I. The ability to understand and expose the phylogenetic relationships between the groups studied both on a plant neonatology and paleontological, the recognition and techniques to be adopted on a morphological, macro- and microscopic basis, the acquisition of the nomenclatural language in botany as a biological communication tool of plant diversity, are among the training aspects to which the teacher and students must aim in this course. The course must provide a solid basis of information on which to build applicative aspects to be developed in other courses in the context of landscape and biodiversity protection and conservation.
Prerequisites
The course foresees as a compulsory priority having followed and passed the Botany I course, as well as seeing as fundamental knowledge of General Biology, General Inorganic and Organic Chemistry, Climatology.
Teaching Methods
The Botany II course includes lectures interspersed with laboratory exercises to complement the notions acquired in the frontal phase. There are no intermediate evaluations. The 9 credits course is divided into two parts: first semester (6 CFU) up to the introduction of Angiosperms, second semester (3 CFU) focused on Angiosperms.
Further information
The exams are fixed according to the official calendar of the Florentine University. There are no extraordinary exams outside the official calendar. If during the preparation of the exam the student needs to ask for clarification, he can do so by contacting the teacher by email and making an appointment or requesting an answer by email.
Type of Assessment
The final exam is in a single solution, in Italian, and consists in the recognition of a microscopic preparation and in an interview in which the candidate must demonstrate the ability to link and compare the topics covered during the course with references also to the previous Botany I course.
Course program
Algal evolution and conquest of the earth. Water balance. Sporopollenin, cutin. Somatic parenchymatic organization and appearance of the organ: cormophytic organization (cormophytes). Archegonium, antheridium, sporothesis (archegoniate). Oogamy and appearance of the embryo (embryophytes). Alternation of generation, distinction of roles and antagonism between gametophyte and sporophyte. Sporial dispersion and orthotropy. Dependence relationships between gametophyte and sporophyte. Procormophytes. Bryophytic model and tracheophytic model.
Bryophytes (Bryophyta)
Gametophyte – sporophyte relationships and evolutionary perspectives. The current bryophytes. - Marchantiopsida (Liverworts). Somatic organization and reproductive cycle. - Anthocerotopsida (Anthoceros). Somatic organization and reproductive cycle. - Bryopsida (Mosses). Somatic organization and reproductive cycle.
Tracheophyta
Lignin. The conductive system. The stele and its evolution. - Rhyniophyta - Telomic theory. Evolution of the branching system: from dichotomous organization to pseudomonopodiality. - Zosterophyllophyta. - Trimerophytophyta. - The appearance of the leaf. Microfilla and macrophyll. The appearance of the root.
Phylogenetic interpretation of the microfila: telomic theory and cortical emergence theory.
Lycopodiophyta. Generality. The root. Isospory and heterospory. Sporophylls. - Lycopodiales. Somatic organization and reproductive cycle. - Selaginellales. Somatic organization and reproductive cycle. Heterospory. Microsporophyll, microsporothecium, microspora; macrosporophyll, macrosporothecium, macrospora. Endosporic development of gametophytes. - Lepidodendrales. Secondary growth in the stem. Appearance of the tree among the lycopods. - Isoëtales. Somatic organization and reproductive cycle.
Appearance of siphonostele and its variants.
Monilophyta: Equisetophyta. Equisetales: Equisetaceae. Somatic organization and reproductive cycle. - Equisetales: Calamitaceae. Secondary growth in the stem. Appearance of the tree among the horsetails.
Psilotales, Ophioglossales and Marattiales. Eusporangium and leptosporangium.
Polypodiophyta
Appearance, development, phylogenetic interpretation and role of the macrophyll. Stem. Evolution of the stele. Root. - Eusporangiate ferns. Ophioglossales. Somatic organization and reproductive cycle. - Isosporeous leptosporangiate ferns. Polypodiales. Somatic organization. Reproductive cycle. Apogamous reproduction. - Heterosporous leptosporangiate ferns. Marsileales. Salviniales.
Progymnospermophyta.
Eustele. Secondary structure in the stem. Cribro-woody change. Omoxilo wood.
Spermatophytes
Gametophyte – sporophyte relationships and evolutionary perspectives. Ovum and semen. Microspora and pollen grain. Pollination. Evolution of the branching system: monopodiality, simpodiality.
The first gymnosperms. Pteridospermophyta. Preovule. Manoxylic and picnoxylic wood.
Cycadophyta. Vegetative characters. Megasporophylls. Microsporophylls. Ovule. Primary endosperm. Pollen grain. Reproductive cycle. Seed.
Hetertoblastic gymnosperms. Heteroblasm and heterophyllia. Macroblasts and brachiblasts. Nomophylls, cataphylls, bracts. Gem. Quiescence of the seed.
Ginkgophyta. Vegetative and reproductive characteristics. Ovule. Primary endosperm. Pollen grain. Reproductive cycle. Seed.
Pinophyta. Vegetative characters. Stem. Leaves. Microsporangiate cones and ovuliferous cones. Ovule. Primary endosperm. Pollen grain. Reproductive cycle. Embryo. Seed.
Gnetophyta. General characteristics. Ephedrales, Gnetales, Welwitschiales. Vegetative characters. Reproductive cycle.
Systematics of Angiosperms.
Magnolidae, Mocots, and Eu-dicots. The problem of basal angiosperms. Main orders, and phylogenetic problems.
Morphology of Angiosperms.
Life cycle of an Angiosperm: annual, biennial and perennial plants; biological forms of Raunkiaer. General organography, root (allorrhizal and homorrhizal); stilt roots, adventitious roots, phylloclades; stem, monocular and policauli plants: trees, shrubs, fruit trees, suffrutics, lianas; monopodial and sympodial branching; modifications of the stem; rhizomes, stolons, bulbs, rhizo-tubers; gems; leaf: phyllotaxia and leaf morphology (shape, margin, veins, leaf base, leaf surface), stipules, pulvins; simple and compound leaves: paripinnate and imparipinnate; modifications of the leaf: succulent plants, cirri, leaves of insectivorous plants.
Floral morphology.
Flower: perianth, androecium and gynoecium. Complete and incomplete flowers. Hermaphroditic, unisexual, monoecious and dioecious flowers. Gamosepal flowers / petals and dialysepals / petals; floral symmetry. Androceo: monadelfi, polyadelfi, diadelfi, connate, tetradinami and didynami stamens. Gynoecium: apocarp, syncarp, polycarp. Floral symmetry. Upper ovary (hypogenous flowers), inferior ovary (epiginous flowers), medium / semi-inferior ovary, ipantium. Placentation. Inflorescences: defined and indefinite.
Reproductive Biology of Angiosperms.
Androecium, stamens (microsporophylls), microgametogenesis, bi-trinuclear pollen, structure of a pollen. Gynoecium, pistil (stigma, stylus, ovary), ovules and their development; mature ovum and its components; megagametogenesis in Angiosperms. Stigma-pollen interaction, pollen germination and penetration (role of synergides), double fertilization and its evolutionary significance. Embryonic development.
Pollination. Notes on its evolution in relation to habitat. Case of Poaceae. Anemophilous, entomophilic and zoophilic. Vexillary function of the perianth. Aquatic pollination and its modalities.
Sexual cycle in Angiosperms: aplodiplontia and its meaning in the evolutionary context of Tracheophytes.
Comparative Embryology between Gymnosperms, Basal Angiosperms, and Angiosperms.
Fruits.
Mono- pluricarpellar fruits. Simple, aggregate and multiple fruits. Dried fruits: indehiscent (achene, walnut, samara, caryopsis) and dehiscent (legume, siliqua, siliquetta, capsule and follicle). Fleshy fruits: drupe, berry. Fleshy fruits of the Rosaceae. Multiple fruits: syconium (fig) and sorose (pineapple, annona). Seeds and their general morphology. Sperm dimorphism.
Methodological introduction on Plant Taxonomy. Morphological levels of investigation (endophenotype and esophenotype). Classify and identify. Artificial, natural, phenetic, phyletic, cladistic approach: historical retrospective. Micro-macroevolution (classification). Botanical Nomenclature: type method, and stability of the plant names. The ICN (Schenzen Code): introduction.
Collection of botanical material: why, how and when. The herbarium: how it is set up and preserved. The herbarium and its didactic and research value.
Dicotyledonous families:
Asteraceae (Compositae)
Caryophyllaceae
Brassicaceae (Cruciferae)
Fagaceae
Lamiaceae (Labiatae)
Fabaceae (Leguminosae, Faboideae / Papilionioideae) Oleaceae
Ranunculaceae
Rosaceae
Monocotyledons
Araceae
Alliaceae
Orchidaceae
Poaceae (Gramineae)