Plant Systematics

By Anzar Khuroo | University of Kashmir

Learners enrolled: 92

Plant systematics involves and encompasses traditional taxonomy; however, its primary goal is to reconstruct the evolutionary history of plant life. It divides plants into taxonomic groups, using morphological, anatomical, embryological, chromosomal and chemical data. However, the science differs from straight taxonomy in that it expects the plants to evolve, and documents that evolution.

Summary

Course Status :	Upcoming
Course Type :	Core
Language for course content :	English
Duration :	12 weeks
Category :	Applied Sciences
Credit Points :	4
Level :	Undergraduate
Start Date :	07 Jul 2025
End Date :	31 Oct 2025
Enrollment Ends :	31 Aug 2025
Exam Date :
NCrF Level	4.5

Page Visits

Course layout

Week 1

01 - Introduction to Plant Systematic Completed

02 - Aims and Objectives of Taxonomy

03 - Fundamental Components of Taxonomy

04 - Role of Palynology in Plant Systematics

Week 2

05 - Cytology in Relation to Taxonomy

06 - Chemotaxonomy

07 - Molecular Taxonomy

08 - Field Inventory

Week 3

09 - Herbarium

10 - Botanical Gardens

11 - Taxanomic Literature

12 - Identification Keys

Week 4

13 - Leaf - Arrangement, Morphology and Structure

14 - Diversity in Leaf Size and Shape

15 - Structure of Flower and Its Variations

16 - Inflorescence and its Types

Week 5

17 - Types of Fruits

18 - Placentation & its Types

19 - Taxonomy Hierarchy and Ranks

20 - Species Concept

Week 6

21 - Botanical Nomenclature

22 - Typification and Kinds of Types

23 - Nomenclature of Hybrids

24 - Identification Procedure and Methods

Week 7

25 - Contribution of Theophrastus, Bauhin and de Tournefort to Plant Systematics

26 - Contribution of Linnaeus to Biology

27 - Major Contributions of Adanson, deCandolle and Hutchinson to Plant SystematicsPlant Systematics

28 - Major Contributions of Bessey and Cronquist to Plant Systematics

Week 8

29 - Major Contributions of Armen Takhtajan to Plant Systematics

30 - Salient Features of Classification System by Bentham & Hooker

31 - Salient features of classification by Engler and Prantl

32 - Angiosperm Phyloigeny Group (APG) Classification

Week 9

33 - Numerical Taxonomy

34 - Cladistics - Concepts and Terminology

35 - Methodology of Cladistics

36 - Origin of Angiosperms

Week 10
37 - Evolution and Diversity of Angiosperms

38 - A General account on primitive angiosperms

39 - Co-evolution of Flowers and Insects

40 - Taxonomy and Diversity of Apiaceae

Week 11
41 - Taxonomy and Diversity of Asteraceae

42 - Taxonomy and Diversity of Brassicaceae

43 - Taxonomy and Diversity of Fabaceae

44 - Taxonomy and Diversity of Lamiaceae

Week 12
45 - Taxonomy and Diversity of Malvaceae

46 - Taxonomy and Diversity of Orchidaceae

47 - Taxonomy and Diversity of Poaceae

48 - Taxonomy and Diversity of Solanaceae

Books and references

Simpson, M.G. 2006. Plant Systematics. Elsevier Inc., USA.

Singh, G. (2004). Plant Systematics. Oxford & IBH Publishing Co.Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi.

Stuessy, T. F. 1990. Plant Taxonomy. Columbia University Press,

New York.

Hill, McGraw, Concise Encyclopedia Of Science And Technology,

Mayr, Ernst (1982). The Growth of Biological Thought: Diversity,Evolution, and Inheritance. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The

Belknap Press of Harvard University Press

Sutton, David; Robert Huxley (editor) (2007). "Pedanios Dioscorides: Recording the Medicinal Uses of Plants". The Great

Naturalists. London: Thames & Hudson, with the Natural History Museum. pp. 32–37

"Plant Systematics and Evolution". 2013 Journal Citation Reports.

Web of Science (Science ed.). Thomson Reuters. 2014.

"Plant Systematics and Evolution". Springer Science+Business Media. Retrieved 16 Feb 2015.

Instructor bio

Dr. Anzar A. Khuroo presently working as Sr. Assistant Professor in the department of Botany, University of Kashmir. He has done his Ph.D from University of Kashmir.

He has a vast academic experience of more than fifteen years in teaching and research

His main focus has been Plant Taxonomy, Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, Plant Systematics and Phylogenetics, Biological Systematics and Biodiversity and Biogeography. He has 75 publications (Research papers and book chapters) including 39 in SCI journals

He is the recipient of

Ø Young Scientist Award (Biological Sciences) for 2009-10 by Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of Jammu and Kashmir, India.

Ø Dr A P Das Biodiversity Medal-2013 by East Himalayan Society for Spermatophyte Taxonomy, India

Ø Travel grant award by Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, together with the Mountain Partnership (FAO) to participate in GMBA Conference at Switzerland.

Ø Organized National Level Training workshop on “Plant Taxonomy” sponsored by Botanical Survey of India, Kolkata from 27^th to 29^th March, 2017 at Department of Botany, University of Kashmir, Srinagar.

Ø Member, National Expert Committee on Invasive Alien Species constituted by National Biodiversity Authority, Chennai

Apart from this he has written number of papers published in both National and International journals.

Course certificate

Internal Assessment - Weekly assessments released in the course shall be considered for Internal Marks and will carry 30 percent for the Overall Result. Out of all weekly assignments, the best/top five scores will be considered for the final Internal Assessment marks.

End-term Assessment - The final exam shall be conducted by NTA, and will carry 70 percent for the overall Result.

All students who obtain 40% marks in the internal assessment and 40% marks in the end-term proctored exam separately will be eligible for the SWAYAM Credit Certificate.

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