Every day we are surrounded by flowering plants that we rely on and interact with in a variety of ways. Throughout
this course I have begun many of my lectures by sharing with a profile you some of my favorite plants and botanical
organisms as well as the many ways that people have interacted with these organisms; some examples include
Agave, Birch, Cannabis, Dandelion & Ergot. Now that we are approaching the end of the course it is your turn to
pick a flowering plant, any angiosperm you like, and tell me all about this wonderful plant!
In the following outline, I have provided you with the structure your report should take; however, please feel free to
add additional subheadings should it be useful to the organization of your report. In each of the following sections I
have tried to provide you with useful questions to get you thinking about your plant in relation to the course as a
whole. You do not need to provide answers to each and every questions outlined but sufficient research and detail
should be provided (use the number of marks allocated as a guide to the detail expected from you).
Your laboratory report is graded out of a total of 30 marks
The total report text should be a maximum of 5 pages of 1.5 spaced 12 pt, Times New Roman font.
Diagrams, Figure, Tables, and References are extra allowance.
Introduction (2 marks) – 0.5 pages or less
Identify your topic plant. Give background information about your plant and explain why you chose this
plant to investigate.
Taxonomy, phylogeny, Evolutionary History (3 marks) – 0.5-1 pages
– What is the scientific (latin) name of this plant. You should at least be able to identify the genus if not the
precise species.
– What are the common names for this plant?
– What are some of the close relatives of this plant?
– To what order does it belong and what are some of the defining taxonomic characteristics of this group?
– Approximately when did this species diverge? Is there evidence of it in the fossil record?
– Where on Earth did this plant originate? How do we know? What type of environment and biome does this
plant flourish in?
– What is the geographical range of this plant today? How has it been spread?
Anatomy, Physiology, Reproduction (6 marks) – 1-1.5 pages
Discuss the characteristics of the plant and in particular it’s flower structure (anther heights, single flower
vs inflorescence, colour and structure to attract specific pollinators) in relation to reproductive strategy. This would
be a good place for students to make a comparison with other angiosperms or with other plants such as the C-fern
The literature will tell you something about the habitat and ecology of your plant species.
– What type of flower does this plant have? What type of inflorescence? Where is the ovary positioned?
– Are the flowers perfect (bisexual) or imperfect (unisexual)? Is the plant monecious or diecious?
– Does this plant have specialized cells or tissues? What type of pigments does this plant make use of?
– Does this plant produce nectar or give off scents?
– What type of photosynthetic pathway does this plant use (C3, C4, CAM)? How is his advantageous?
– What type of life cycle does this plant utilize?
– Is this plant a monocot or a Eudicot?
– How does this plant reproduce? How is it pollinated? How do you know? Does it have a highly co-evolved
pollination system?
– Does this plant have unique or interesting features such as defence mechanisms or secondary compound
production?
– What type of fruit does this plant produce?
Botanical Drawing (4 marks) – not included in page count
Diagrams of your plant at a macro level should follow the drawing guidelines. The figures should include
AT LEAST a drawing of the entire plant and the flower structure.
– Create a botanical drawing of your model organisms using the techniques you have developed in lab.
– Consider creating several drawing to depict the entire organisms as well as particular features such as is
flower, leaf, fruit, or root structure
– Be sure to properly scale and calculated the mag X of your drawing
– Be sure to provide appropriate figure captions for your drawings
– Be sure to label all appropriate structures and features of your plant.
How has this plant shaped or been shaped by humans? (10 marks) – 2 pages
This has been a reoccurring theme throughout our course. Has your plant been important for influencing
human development or history? Has your plant significantly altered its environment or even the planet as a whole?
Have humans greatly influenced the development of this plant?
– Do humans use this plant for agricultural, medicinal, scientific, cultural, or economic purposes now or in
the past?
– Has this plant been modified by humans, as in the case of many domesticated and ornamental flowers?
How has it been changed? Does the wildtype of this angiosperm still exist? How does it differ from the
human influences varietal?
– Has this plant been genetically modified or have we extracted genes of interest from it?
Conclusion (2 marks) – 0.5 pages or less
Briefly summarize your findings.
References (3 marks) – not included in page count
Include at least two valid reference beyond the textbook and lab manual. These should peer-reviewed
journal papers, books or book chapters. You may include reliable websites (university and government sources).
To cite your references in the text, use (name, year) at the end of the sentence.
To cite your references in the References section at the end, follow the Council of Science Editors and the
Council of Biology Editors styleguide: http://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/DocCSE_NameYear.html
Other links to the guides can be found:
http://researchguides.library.yorku.ca/content.php?pid=381407&sid=3125786
Miscellaneous: Scientific names not underlined italicized, misspelled, etc will get a 0.25 mark deductions.
Include your original drawings should be included. If missing, deduct 1 mark
You will lose marks for not referring your references in the text of the lab. report. You can’t just list them and not
refer to them. This is why they are called references. They provide you with context.
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