Università Roma Tre

Biodiversity, systematics and phylogeny of plants. Concept of plant organisms; phylogenetic methods of investigation; classifications. The diversity of plants in an evolutionary key: the organization of vegetative structures. Photosynthetic bacteria and cyanobacteria. Phyletic lines in the protophytes and in the photosynthetic unicellular cells. Mushrooms. Lichens. Reproductive modalities and biological cycles in plants. Main algal taxa. Bryophytes. Vascular plants: pteridophytes; gymnosperms; angiosperms, with examples of families. Evolution of ontogenetic cycle, from algae plants to vascular plants with flower. Main cultivated plants and their origins. Global importance of vegetations and plant biodiversity.

Plant cytology. Plant cells; endosymbiotic theories. vacuoles; microbodies, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi bodies, secretory pathways. Cell wall, plasmodesms. Plastids. Cell differentiation. Plant anatomy. Meristems and totipotency of plant cells; vegetative apexes. Definitive fabrics; parenchyma; tegumental, mechanical, conducting, secretory tissues. The corm - anatomy and organography of: root, caule, leaves; specializations and transformations. The flower, its structure, nature and formation; pollination, fertilization, embryogenesis; seeds and fruits. Vegetative reproduction. Structure of the upper plants. Meristems and adult tissues. Cormo development: primary and secondary growth. Primary and secondary structures of roots and stems; leaf development and organization Reproduction. Genesis and evolution of the flower and the fruit.

Preparation of fresh and permanent plant histological preparations. Overview of Histochemical and Cytochemical Techniques. Morphological analysis. Identification of plant organisms. Identification and classification of vascular plants. Preparation of samples for herbals. In vivo and in vitro plants collection. Introduction to plant ecology and field excursions for in situ detection of plant biodiversity, with hints on the science of vegetation.