ENVR06054 2015 Irish Wildflower Identification

Photograph wild flowering plants, prepare dried specimens of 100 plants in a herbarium, catologue the scientific name (binomial), the common name, the family to which each belongs and the location where and the date on which each specimen was collected.

Upload the information on the collected plants onto to a spreadsheet and list families and the species within in alphabetical order.

Identify common wild flowering plants by their common and scientific name.

Course participants will be taught how to photograph, collect, preserve plants as dried specimens in a herbarium, how to catalogue into files, and upload species and common names according to family in alphethical order on an Excel speadsheet. By undertaking these tasks the course participants will learn the names of the plants, the families to which they belong, their natural habitats, and the life cycle morphological changes (flowering times, seed types nad dispersal) occurring over the growing season.

Workshops will be used to demonstrate preservation techniques and cataloging as herbarium specimens, assist participants in identifying the names of plants, demonstrate the morphological features of plants, the use of plant identification keys and accessing data bases.

Students will be required to upload the names of their catologued plants onto a spreadsheet in alphabetical order of families and in turn by species name within families. The specimens will be assigned a number from 1-100 in this alphabetcial order. In the final exam the student will present their portfolio of dried plant specimens and/or photographs and will be required to identify the common and/or scientific names of a random selection of these specimens or as fresh specimens (approx. 30 plants). A percentage mark will be awarded to reflect the percentage of the plants the participant identified. To obtain a pass, the student must achieve at least 40%.

Repeat assessment will consist of a repeat final exam as outlined above. Marks cannot be accumulated over a number of assessments.

Participants will be allowed to upgrade their marks by repeat examination on payment of an appropriate fee.

Know where to find common plants and how to avoid collecting rare species.

Prepare plants or plant parts as herbarium specimens.

Photograph plants and plant parts.

Identify pants by their common and scientific names.

Identify the essential features of flower structures and vegetative parts.

Use keys for identifying plants to genus and species

List the general features of plant families.

Know the flowering times of plants

Know at least one feature of each plant in terms of morphology, medicinal, culinary or traditional use, folklore, distinctive odour, habitat, life cycle features, etc.