MEDICINAL PLANTS

What does it mean for a plant to be medicinal?

Describe the origin of medicinal plants, including:
    1) Ebers Papyrus (Mesopotamia) & other early writings
    2) Hippocrates
    3) era of herbals and the doctrine of signatures
    4) Withering's work with dropsy
    5) development of chemistry.

When and on which plants were the first medicines developed?

What is a herbalist?

Outline the current procedure for developing a new drug from a plant.

Describe the medicinal value of the following plants: Fever Bark tree, Foxglove, Madagascar Periwinkle, Cabbage & Turnip Greens, Echinacea

PSYCHOACTIVE AND POISONOUS PLANTS

What does it mean for a plant to be psychoactive?

What are the three categories of psychoactive plants and their definitions?

For the following psychoactive plants, describe the category and the part of the plant used

Opium Poppy, Tobacco, Coca, Belladonna & Henbane, Marijuana

What does it mean for a plant to be poisonous?

How are the poisonous plants typically categorized?
Explain these categories and include examples.

Name several poisonous plants and what poisonous chemicals are present.

Many persons have claimed, and rightfully so, that some medicinal plants are also psychoactive and poisonous. How can this be?

THE HERBARIUM

What are the values of a herbarium?

About how many specimens are in the Newberry College herbarium?

What should one consider as a plant specimen is being collected?

What resources can be used to identify a plant specimen?

What basic information should be on a herbarium specimen label?

In what two ways are most herbarium specimens now organized?

What three things do herbarium managers worry about most in maintaining the quality of an herbarium specimen and avoid damage?

ECOLOGY

Name and describe the two components of study in ecology.

What is an ecosystem?

Name and describe the three main biotic components of an ecosystem.

Why isn't all energy passed from one level to the next in an ecosystem?

Describe ecosystem diversity and stability.

How does a monoculture fit into this story?

How are biomes named and distinguished?

Name the eight biomes potentially present in North America.

Characterize each by: a) vegetation type, b) climate

COMPREHENSIVE QUESTIONS (I'll pick one question: 10 pts)

Several characteristics have been used to distinguish between the major groups of plants [algae, nonvascular land plants, seedless vascular plants, gymnosperms, and flowering plants]. Use these characteristics as you distinguish between these groups.

The most well know group of plants are the flowering plants (angiosperms). Describe and/or draw the general life cycle of a flowering plant.

Within the angiosperms are two major subgroups, the monocots and dicots. Distinguish between these two, based on at least five morphological or anatomical features.