Principles of Botany

This introductory course examines five integrated areas of plant biology: anatomy, taxonomy and systematics, physiology, ecology, and identification. Beginning with plant cells, tissues, vegetative organs, and basic reproductive structures, learners establish a foundation for understanding plant diversity. They then explore botanical classification, scientific nomenclature, and phylogenetic relationships among major plant lineages and their evolutionary innovations. Building on this foundation, learners examine physiological processes that regulate plant growth, metabolism, resource acquisition, and responses to environmental stress. The course concludes by connecting plant structure, evolutionary history, and function to interactions within communities and ecosystems.

Unit I: Plant Anatomy
This unit introduces the structural organization of plants, from individual cells and tissues to the major vegetative and reproductive organs. Learners will examine the anatomy of roots, stems, and leaves, including specialized tissues involved in growth, transport, support, and resource acquisition. The unit also introduces reproductive structures, including spores, seeds, cones, flowers, and fruits. Emphasis is placed on understanding the relationships between plant structure and function, providing a foundation for exploring plant diversity and evolutionary relationships in Unit II.

Unit II: Plant Taxonomy & Systematics
This unit introduces the principles of plant taxonomy and systematics, emphasizing how plants are classified, named, and organized according to their evolutionary relationships. Learners will examine hierarchical classification, botanical nomenclature, and the use of phylogenetic trees to understand common ancestry and modern classification systems. The unit explores major plant lineages, including bryophytes, seedless vascular plants, gymnosperms, and angiosperms, highlighting evolutionary innovations such as vascular tissues, seeds, and flowers. Emphasis is placed on understanding plant diversity and evolutionary history rather than species identification (see Unit V: Plant Identification).

Unit III: Plant Ecophysiology

In this unit, learners examine physiological processes that regulate plant growth, metabolism, resource acquisition, and responses to environmental stress. Emphasis is placed on understanding the developmental and physiological plasticity exhibited across the plant kingdom. Topics include water balance, plant “decision making” as it relates to nutrients and photosynthesis, allelopathy, and the elemental defense hypothesis.

Unit IV: Plant Ecology

Plants provide a foundation for all other life, and understanding the ecology of plants is critical to basic and applied work in fields such as conservation planning, forestry, and wildlife ecology. In this unit, learners will focus on processes that determine where plants live, how they interact, and how plant communities change through time. The unit considers plants and their interactions at multiple scales, from individual plants to populations, communities, and ecosystems. It will also explore the conceptual development of the field of plant community ecology and how it informs contemporary approaches to conservation and land management.

Unit V: Plant Identification

This course gives learners a foundation in the practical skills needed to identify and classify plants in their location of interest (e.g., study area, forest, park, management unit). Participants will learn how to define characteristics of plants, classify plants into major plant groups and common plant families, and use technical keys to identify plant species from their local areas. By the end, learners will produce a digital plant collection for their location of interest.

This is a 5-credit course, consisting of five 1-credit units that may be taken together or individually. You may register for any number of units. Select the units during registration.

Each unit has 5 weeks of self-paced instruction with instructor support. Some units include optional live virtual sessions on Wednesdays (afternoons, US Eastern Time). After the 5-week period ends, learners have access to material on Canvas for an additional 10 weeks.

Learn at your own pace with instructor support*.

Spring 2027:

Unit I: Plant Anatomy: January 19 - May 2, 2027

Unit II: Plant Taxonomy & Systematics: January 19 - May 2, 2027

Unit III: Plant Ecophysiology: Feb 21 - June 6, 2027

Unit IV: Plant Ecology: March 28 - July 11, 2027

Unit V: Plant Identification: May 24 - Sept 5, 2027

*The first 5 weeks of each unit include instructor support.

Price when registering by December 20 (includes early bird discount):

Non-credit: $450 per unit for students or unemployed; $550 per unit for currently employed

Credit: $595 per unit for students or unemployed; $695 per unit for currently employed

Price when registering after December 20:

Non-credit: $525 per unit for students or unemployed; $625 per unit for currently employed

Credit: $680 per unit for students or unemployed; $780 per unit for currently employed

Save when registering for multiple units!

10% discount when registering for two units

15% discount when registering for three units

20% discount when registering for four units

25% discount when registering for all five units

Discounts are automatically applied at checkout

This course has no specific prerequisites.

Unit 1: Plant Anatomy

• Describe the organization and functions of major plant cell types and tissue systems.

• Explain the anatomical structure and functions of roots, stems, and leaves.

• Recognize and describe major plant reproductive structures, including spores, seeds, cones, flowers, and fruits.

• Explain how plant anatomical structures support growth, resource acquisition, transport, and reproduction.

Unit 2: Plant Taxonomy & Systematics

• Explain the principles of plant taxonomy and systematics and their roles in understanding plant diversity.

• Describe hierarchical plant classification and the principles of botanical nomenclature.

• Interpret basic phylogenetic trees to explain evolutionary relationships among major plant groups.

• Differentiate among major plant lineages, including bryophytes, seedless vascular plants, gymnosperms, and angiosperms, based on their defining characteristics and evolutionary innovations.

Unit 3: Plant Ecophysiology

• Differentiate between innate and acquired stress response strategies.

• Describe the anatomical, physiological, and molecular mechanisms that mediate a stress response.

• Discuss why salt, drought, and freezing stress are similar.

• Articulate how the elemental defense hypothesis and mustard-oil bomb hypothesis compare and contrast.

• Connect plant ecophysiology to societal needs in a changing world.

Unit 4: Plant Ecology

• Explain how abiotic factors such as light, water, temperature and nutrients constrain plant distributions.

• Describe plant life-history strategies and population dynamics.

• Evaluate the roles of biotic processes such as competition, facilitation, and herbivory in structuring plant

  communities.

• Compare major theories of community assembly and succession.

• Describe how vegetation responds to disturbances such as wildfire across different ecosystems.

• Assess the effects of global change factors such as climate change, invasive species, and habitat fragmentation on plant communities, and outline conservation and restoration approaches.

Unit 5: Plant Identification

• Collect, press, and photograph particular parts of a plant to help plant identification

• Use plant keys to systematically identify plant specimens

• Organize specimens in a digital plant collection for your study area