Instructor:      Roger D. Meicenheimer
Office:           358 PSN
Phone #:        529-7012
Office Hours:  R, F  1:00 - 3:00, or by appointment
Email:              meicenrd@muohio.edu
Internet Home Page:  http://www.cas.muohio.edu/~meicenrd 

Biographical Information:

     Native of eastern Oregon
     BA (1975) - University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
     MS (1978) - Washington State University, Pullman, WA
     Ph.D. (1980) - Washington State University, Pullman, WA
     Postdoctoral Position (1980) - North Central Forest Experiment Station, Rhinelander, WI
     Assistant Professor (1981); Associate Professor (1987); Professor (1992) - Miami University, Oxford, OH

Research Interests:

     Developmental Plant Morphology and Plant Anatomy.
     Emphasis on stem, leaf, and vascular components of the plant.
     Expert Systems.

BOT 155 Objectives:

• To provide the student with a field/laboratory-oriented, interpretive introduction to botany in the regional out-of-doors. Emphasis given to identification, uses, habit, habitat and communities of plants, and fungi in the context of local terrestrial and aquatic environments.
  

     Lectures:          MW 9:05 - 9:55   320 PSN
     Laboratories:    MW 10:05 - 11:45   320 PSN, Outdoors On Campus and
                                Off Campus field trips to local areas of interest including
                                Hueston Woods, Ecology Research Center, and Bachelor Preserve

Safety:

Much of the course will be spent out-of-doors.  Please be prepared for exposure to sun, rain, and insects.  SENSIBLE SHOES REQUIRED. Check out the weather forcast before class, to enhance your comfort.

Use of cell phones is prohibited during class.

Course Attendance Policy:

Attendance will be taken within the first 10 minutes of each class meeting.  If you arrive after attendance is taken, you will be marked tardy.  Your first 2 tardies will be excused.  After that, each tardy will result in a five point deduction from your course point total.  All absences will result in a 10 point deduction from your course point total unless you have a valid excuse for missing class.  If you miss a quiz or any class assignment due to tardiness or absence, you will loose the points on those assignments.  NO make-ups will be given.  Exams must be taken when scheduled.  Make-ups will be given only in extreme cases.  If you miss more than two class meetings without a valid excuse, you will be dropped from the course.

Each student should become familiar with University policies and procedures with respect to academic dishonesty.   

Students should also familiarize themselves with University deadlines for withdrawal from the course without penalty.

Textbooks:

Grimm, W.C. 2002.  Illustrated Book of Trees.  Stackpole Books.

Newcomb,  L. 1977.  Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide.   Little Brown and Co.

WEB SITES OF INTEREST TO THIS CLASS  

Topical Schedule:
Week	Date	Lecture Activity	Laboratory Activity	Laboratory Exercises (points)
1	August 22	Introduction Vegetative Characters	Latinized Names	Grimm Insert Circular Tree Key
1	August 24	How to use Circular and Grimm keys to identify trees	Tree Presentations Sign Up Sheet MU Tree Walks Guide	1.  The Great Vegetative Character State Hunt (10) Student Tree Presentations
2	August 29	Plant Presses	Key out Trees Plant Collections	Herbarium
2	August 31	How to use Newcomb keys to identify herbs and vines	Flowers and Plant Sex Key out Wildflowers	2.  Flowers (10)
September 5  LABOR DAY HOLIDAY No White After This Date!
3	September 7	Fruit	Sexual Encounters of the Floral Kind	3.  Fruits (10)
4	12	Ecology Research Center Field Trip	Street Map to ERC Hybrid Map to ERC Pollen Nation	4.  Pollination/Honey (10)
4	14		Key out Wildflowers
5	19	Lecture Exam 1 - Covering material through week 4 (100 pts)	Field Practical Plant ID exam (100 pts)	Field Exam Template
5	21		Student tree presentations	Tree presentations Rubric
6	26		Student tree presentations
6	28		Student tree presentations
7	October 3	Hueston Woods Field Trip	Last Day to Withdraw w/ "W" Street Map to Hueston Woods Hybrid Map to Hueston Woods	5.  Deciduous Forest Biome Worksheet (10)
7	5	Second plant ID exam (100)	Plant Collection A Due (25)
8	10	Gymnosperms I (conifers)	Conifer Lab	6. Conifers (10)
8	12	Gymnosperms I (non-conifers)	Cycads, Ginkgo and Gnetophytes Lab	7. Cycads and Ginkgo (10)
9	17	Non-vascular and seedless vascular plants	Non-vascular and seedless vascular plants laboratory	8.  Non-vascular and Seedless vascular plants of Bachelor Preserve (10)
9	19	Field trip to Bachelor Preserve of MU Natural Areas	Street Map to Bachelor Preserve Hybrid Map to Bachelor Preserve	8.  Non-vascular and Seedless vascular plants of Bachelor Preserve + Reconnoiter of Relevé sites
10	24	Field trip to Bachelor Preserve	Group Collection of Relevé data	Relevé data Sheets
10	26	Write Relevé report in class	Return plant presses. Plant Collection B Due (25)	9.  Relevé of Bachelor Preserve (20)
	October 31	Final exam – Plant ID and Written component (100)

  Last Modified 7 July 2011