UNIVERSITY OF MADRAS
B.Sc. DEGREE COURSE IN BOTANY
SEMESTER SYSTEM WITH CREDITS
(Effective from the Academic Year 2003-2004)
SYLLABUS

Semester VI - Paper IX - Taxonomy and Embryology

Duration: 3 hrs
Maximum Marks: 100
Credits: 4

Lecture 4 Hrs; Practicals 2 Hrs. per week

Theory

Taxonomy of Angiosperms

Unit - I

Principles of Taxonomy. Taxonomy and its importance. Herbarium technique, herbaria. Botanical survey of India

Systems of classification: Outline classification of Linnaeus, Bentham and Hooker, Cronquist. Taxonomic hierarchy (major and minor categories)

Plant nomenclature: Forms of scientific names Concept of a taxon: A brief reference to citation of authors and type concept. Basic concept on Chemotaxonomy.

Unit - II

Detailed study of the range of characters and plants of economic importance in the following families after introduction of important terminologies on morphological features: Annonaceae, Sterculianceae, Rutaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Sapotaceae. Asclepiadaceae, Verbenaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Orchidaceae and Poaceae.

Unit - III

Plants of medicinal importance with reference to their Taxonomic position, Biochemistry, Cultivation and Medicinal uses.

1. Phyllanthus amarus
2. Azadirachta indica
3. Eclipta alba
4. Aloe vera
5. Andrographis paniculata

Unit - IV

Embroyology: Structure and development of anther, structure of mature pollen, male gametophute. Structure and development of ovule, female gametophyte - monosporic (Polygonum type).

Fertilization, Double fertilization - syngamy - triple fusnion post fertilisation changes.

Unit - V

Endosperm: types (nuclear, cellular helobial), Ruminate endosperm. Function of endospersm. Development of embryo in Dicot (Capsella) and Monocot (Najas).

Praticals

Taxonomy

1. Description of plant in technical terms.
2. A detailed study of the range of vegetative and floral characters of plants belonging to the families mentioned in the theory part.
3. Submission of 15 herbarium sheets with proper field not books for practical examination. Field trip to any place within or outside the state for five days for plant collection and also to study the plants in their natural habits.
4. Submission of record.

Embryology

1 T.S. of mature anther (slide).
2 Types of ovule (slide).
3 Embryo sac (slide).
4 Stages in the development of Dicot and Monoct embryos (slide).
5 Mounting of Dicot embryos (Globular or heart shaped torpedo stage).
6 Types of endosperm record (Slides).
7 submission of Record.

Embryology Books

1. Bhojwani S.S, and Bhatnagar S.P. 1978. The Embryology of Angiospenn. Vikas Publishing pvt. Ltd.
2. Maheswari. P, 1971. An Introduction to the embryology of angiosperms. Tata McGraw Hill.
3. Swamy B.G.L and Krishnamurthy.K.V 1980.From Flower to Fruit. Tata McGraw Hill.

Taxonomy Books

1 Gupta, RK 1972. Textbook of Systematic Botany. Atma Rama & Sons.
2 Hill, A.W.,1 951. Economic Botany. McGraw Hill.
3 Lawerence, G.H.M 1967. Taxonomy of vascular plants. Oxford & IBH Publishing Company.
4 Rao K.N.R and Krishnamurthy K.V, Angiospenn, S. Viswanathan Pvt. Ltd.
5 Rendle A.B. 1930, The classification of flowering plants. Cambridge.
6 Vashishta, P.C. 1974 Taxonomy of Angiosperms. S.Chand & Co.