Biology 320

Ethnobotany

Syllabus – Winter Term 2008

 

Professor:  Stuart Allison

Office:  B210 SMC                              Office hours:  MTWT 1:20–2:30 or by appointment

Phone:  x-7185                                     e-mail:  sallison@knox.edu

Course webpage:  http://courses.knox.edu/bio320

 

Required Texts:

Schultes, R.E. and S. von Reis, eds.  1995. Ethnobotany:  Evolution of a Discipline.  Timber Press.  Portland, OR.  414 pp.

 

Capon, Brian.  2005.  Botany for Gardeners:  Revised Edition.  Timber Press.  Portland OR.  239 pp.

 

Pollan, Michael.  2001.  The Botany of Desire:  A Plant’s-Eye View of the World.  Random House.  New York, NY.  271 pp.

 

Purpose:  Ethnobotany is fairly recent field of science, however, it may not be as recent as some people think.  The term was coined in 1895 and ethnobotanists have been very active ever since.  Ethnobotanists first began trying to learn about the anthropological and ecological aspects of the use of plants by indigenous people during the first half of the 20th century.  However, the field did not really grow until after World War II.  Since then, academic ethnobotanists have explored many regions of the world to understand how indigenous people use plants.  The results of their explorations have fueled interest in the medicinal use of plants among major universities, pharmaceutical firms, and government agencies such as the National Institutes of Health.  In this course we will examine the structure and function of plants, the development of the field of ethnobotany, learn how ethnobotany is practiced, develop an understanding of the complexity of the field, and gain an appreciation of the abundance of locally used plants.

 

Lecture Schedule:  MWF – 9:20 – 10:30; E-117

Date                 Topic                                                               Reading           

Jan. 4               Introduction to course                                       S. pp. 19-39

 

Jan. 7               Whole plant form, roots                        C. pp. 9-24, 34-38, 71-74

Jan. 9               Plant structure, stems and leaves           C. pp.  38-52, 53-70, 74-82

Jan. 11             Flowers and Fruits                                C. pp. 175-200

 

Jan. 14             Uptake of water and nutrients               C. pp.  131-133, 152-165

Jan. 16             Photosynthesis                                      C. pp.  165-173

Jan. 18             Special plant adaptations                       C. pp.  109-130, 103-108

 

Jan. 21             Plant Metabolism

Jan. 23             Ethnobotany:  Old and New                              S. pp. 40-51

Jan. 25             Ethnobotany of domesticated plants                  S. pp. 193-208

 

Jan. 28             Ethnobotany of domesticated plants                  S. pp. 193-208                                   

Jan. 30             Ethnobotanical methods                                    S. pp. 52-59; 69-71

Feb. 1              Historical Ethnobotany                          S. pp. 89-107

 

Feb. 4              Food and Fiber Plants                                      S. pp. 203-208

Feb. 6              Food and Fiber Plants

Feb. 8              Mid-Term Exam

 

Feb. 11            History of Ethnopharmacology              S. pp. 285-288; 320-342

Feb. 13            Arrow Poisons and Medicine                            S. pp. 289-302                       

Feb. 15            Medicinal Chemistry                                         S. pp. 311-319

 

Feb. 18            Study of Medicinal Plants                                  S. pp. 362-368; 303-310

Feb. 20            Amazonian Psychoactive Plants&their studyS. pp. 343-361, 369-382

Feb. 22            Ethnomycology                                     S. pp. 383-390

 

Feb. 25            Ethnobotany and geography – worldwide          S. pp. 209-225; 235-263

Feb. 27            Ethnobotany and geography – America S. pp. 226-234; 264-283

Feb. 29            Ethnobotanical conservation, Amazonia S. pp. 145-156, 157-174

 

Mar. 3              The Future of Ethnobotanical Conservation       S. pp. 175-180

Mar. 5              Socioethnobotany                                             S. pp. 73-88

Mar. 7              Ethnobotany today and in the future                   S. pp. 60-68

 

Mar. 10            Course Review

March 13-15    Final Exams

 

Readings – C. from Capon; S from Schultes and Von Reis

 

Laboratory Exercises – Time Thursday 1:00-3:50 – B-207

Date                 Topic                                                                                      

Jan. 10             Review of the Plant Body

 

Jan. 17             Photosynthesis and transport mechanisms

 

Jan. 21             Plant Identification – Important Families

 

Jan. 28             Plant Metabolism

 

Feb. 7              Food Plants & Discuss Pollan Chap. 1 Desire:  Sweetness

 

Feb. 14            Fiber Plants & Discuss Pollan – Chap. 2 Desire:  Beauty

 

Feb. 21            Spices & Discuss Pollan Chap. 4 – Desire:  Control

 

Feb. 28            Plant medicines & Discuss Pollan – Chap. 3 Desire:  Intoxication

 

Mar. 6              Term paper plants – show and tell

Laboratory material will be covered on the mid-term and final exams.

 

Term Paper

Each student will write a term paper that examines the use(s) of a particular plant species.  I want you to study local plants because I want you to develop familiarity with the uses of plants you are likely to encounter in your everyday life.  Each student will select a plant species of his/her choice, but I must approve the plant because I want each student to be exploring a different plant.  The three reserve books will provide a good starting point for you.  Moerman’s book, in particular, is considered THE definitive work on ethnobotanical uses of North American plants.  The paper should describe the natural history of the plant, where it is found, how abundant it is, how it was used by Native Americans, and any potential uses the plant may have today. 

 

To assist you in preparing your term paper, I have set the following deadlines:

                        Choose plant species - due by Jan. 25 in class

Rough draft of term paper outline (includes literature to be cited) - due in class Feb. 22

                        Finished term paper - due March 10

 

Books on Reserve:

Kindscher, K.  1992.  Medicinal Wild Plants of the Prairie:  An Ethnobotanical Guide.  U. of Kansas Press.  Lawrence, KS.  340 pp.

 

Kindscher, K.  1987. Edible Wild Plants of the Prairie:  An Ethnobotanical Guide.  U. of Kansas Press.  Lawrence, KS.  276 pp.

 

Moerman, D.E.  1998.  Native American Ethnobotany.  Timber Press.  Portland, Oregon, USA.  927 pp.

 

Reaction Papers

 

Four times during the term you will write a reaction paper.  In this paper I want you to use your critical thinking skills to ask a question about material we have covered in the class.  Then you will write a 2 page paper (typed, double-spaced) that answers your question.  I will provide more details about these papers in a separate handout.  These papers will be due in class on:

            Reaction paper 1 – Jan. 18

            Reaction paper 2 – Feb. 1

            Reaction paper 3 – Feb. 15

            Reaction paper 4 – Feb. 29

 

Grading

            Mid-Term Exam                                   100 points

            Final Exam                                           100 points

            Term Paper – Rough Draft                    25 points

            Term Paper – Final Form                      75 points

            Reaction papers – 4 @ 20 pts. each     80 points

            Total                                                    380 points

 

            Grading scale:

            90% and above            A

            80 – 89%                     B

70 – 79%                     C

60 – 69%                     D

below 60%                   F