BIOL 123: Terrestrial Plants Virtual Lab 

Objectives: Following this lab you should be able to…​
  • Become familiar with plant evolution and diversity
  • Learn the parts of seeds, flowers, and fruits
  • Dissect and examine plant functional diversity
  • Use a key of local trees to identify trees around the building
Overview
  • Exercise I. You will create a phylogeny of terrestrial plants from a coded character matrix and learn to identify common plant parts important in specialized life-cycles for various taxa.
  • Exercise II. You will review the parts of a flower in your lab manual and complete a virtual lab on what each part looks like, its primary function and if it is a male or female part where relevant. 
  • Exercise III. Go out! You will be asked to download a Tree ID app and use it to identify the genus and species of 10 selected tree species.
​Before you begin! Open the Post-Lab.
​Follow these directions in each exercise closely so you know what to put in your Post-Lab to receive full credit for this online activity.​
  • Exercise I
  • Exercise II
  • Exercise III
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PART i. Terrestrial Plant evolution

  1. Review the coded character matrix created from information in your manual and PowerPoint.
  2. Create a phylogeny based on the coded character matrix and include it in your post-lab.
  3. Be sure to identify your outgroup first. 
  4. You can create on electronically and paste into your post-lab or draw one one and include it as a picture.
Picture
Coded CHaracter Matrix (click to enlarge).

Part ii. IDENTIFICATION 

The library below depicts images of various terrestrial plants and important parts.
  1. Review the accompanying PowerPoint and and paper manual for the Terrestrial Plant Lab.
  2. Go through the photo library carefully. The number for each is below as a caption.
  3. Determine which slide (by number) matches each plant/part on the list in the side bar.
Plant/Part List
  • gametophyte
  • pollonate pine cone
  • fleshy friut
  • sori
  • sporaphyte​
  • dry dehescent fruit
  • dry indehescent fruit
  • ​ovulate pine cone
  • sporangioum

Flower Dissection

  1. Review the parts of the flower in your lab manual. You need to know what each part looks like, its primary function and if it is a male or female part where relevant. 
  2. Review the flower diagrams below.
  3. Complete the virtual flower dissection lab. This virtual lab requires the FLASH Player plug-in. Please "allow pop-ups" in Chrome and download it as directed. Please do not try to use any other browser than Chrome for this lab.
  4. You can select the cherry blossom or the orange blossom.
  5. In the virtual lab, you must identify the name of each part, its corresponding description/function, and what it looks like magnified. Lastly, click the part in the flower diagram. 
  6. If you got all the components correct that part will get its label in the diagram.
  7. Take a selfie with the completed diagram to show you were successful and be ready to paste it into your post-lab.
Picture
Click the image above to enter this virtual lab. This virtual lab requires the FLASH Player plug-in. Please "allow pop-ups" in Chrome and download it as directed. Please do not try to use any other browser than Chrome for this lab.

Tree identification

You can approach this activity in 2 different ways, with an App or by using your computer...
With an APP
  1. Download one of the apps listed in the sidebar. There are several that work on all platforms and some that are specific.
  2. Make sure it is working well before you head out.
  3. Go outside and find ten different trees and identify each using the app. 
  4. Be sure to record which tree you identify which either in a notebook or on your phone.
  5. Be sure to take a selfie with each tree or you may want to invite someone (in your quarantine family) to tag along and take photos with you?
  6. Complete your post-lab by pasting in your pictures or selfies and identifying the common and scientific name of each tree.
Apps for Tree ID
  1. Virginia Tech Tree ID (recommended)
  2. LeafSnap
  3. Botany Buddy
  4. FlowerChecker
  5. NatureGate. 
  6. PlantSnapp
  7. Plantifier
  8. LikeThat Garden
  9. Leafsnap
  10. iPflanzen
Online
  1. Take your phone or camera with you and go outside.
  2. ​Find and photograph 10 tress you will identify. Be sure to photograph the tree as a whole and an up close shot of a branch and of the leaves. 
  3. ​Be sure to take a selfie with each tree or you may want to invite someone (in your quarantine family) to tag along and take photos with you?
  4. Be sure to take careful notes so these photographs do not get mixed up.
  5. Once you return home use one of the websites in the sidebar (or a different on if you so chose) to identify each tree. 
  6. Complete your post-lab by pasting in your pictures or selfies and identifying the common and scientific name of each tree.
Written and collated by Natalie Mountjoy & Steve Huskey
This website is intended solely for use of BIOL 123 students at Western Kentucky University. Usage for any other persons is expressly prohibited. The information here is copyrighted (all rights reserved ©), cited, or within "Fair Use" under the scholarship or education exemption (section 107 of the Copyright Act).