UNIVERSITY OF MADRAS
B.Sc. DEGREE COURSE IN PLANT BIOLOGY AND PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY
SEMESTER SYSTEM WITH CREDITS
(Effective from the Academic Year 2003-2004)

SYLLABUS

Semester IV - Paper IV - Gymnosperms, Paleobotany and Evolution

Lecture: 7 Hrs

Theory:

Gymnosperms:

UNIT 1 :

General characteristics, distribution, morphology, structure and reproduction of Gymnosperms.Classification of Gymnosperms (Pilger & Melchior, 1954)

UNIT 2 :

Detailed study of morphology, structure and reproduction in Cycas and Gnetum(No developmental studies).

Paleobotany:

UNIT 3 :

Fossils and ideal conditions for fossilization, Kinds of fossils-impressions, casts, molds, petrifactions and coal ball. Geological time scale-era, period, epoch, evolution of the different flora. Brief study of the following fossils-Lepidodendron, Lepidocarpon and Calamites. Importance of Paleobotany.

Evolution:

UNIT 4 :

Origin of life:-Chemosynthetic theory on the origin of life.Evolutionary theories of Lamarck, Charles Darwin and De Vries. Synthetic theory of evolution.

UNIT 5 :

Variation in nature:- Analysis of variation, source of variation (mutation, recombination, adaptation and selection)