Plant Internet Lesson - Explore the Flora!
Objective: Students will get a basic overview of plants found in North America and explore some of the more interesting variety of plants. Students will use the U.S. Department of Agriculture to explore how plants are classified and research specific plants native to their state.
Stinking Flowers
- use google to search for the term "stinking flowers" and go to the first result at waynesword.palomar.edu/ww0602.htm
1. What is a carrion flower?
2. Why do some smell like flatulence - what is the purpose of luring insects in?
3. The perception of odors by animals - what insect is attracted to rotting flesh as a meal for itself?
4. Why do some flowers incarcerate insects?
Name the flower that looks like Sherlock Holmes' Pipe:
5. The foul smelling starfish flowers of Africa actually belong to what family?
6. The rank and remarkable arums - which flower produces a skunky oder?
7. The amazing flynapping arum of Sardinia - What is the common name for Helicodiceros muscivorus?
8. The world's largest and stinkiest arum is known as what common name?
Write out its scientific name too:
9. A stinking root parasite from Africa - attracts what type of insect?
10.The Stinking Corpse Lily: World's Largest Flower - what color is this flower and where is it found?
Plant Taxonomy
Plants are classified in much the same way animals are classified, you have one main kingdom which is divided into smaller categories - called Divisions and the Subdivisions. The United States Department of Agriculture keeps a database of plants. Go to the site at http://plants.usda.gov and click on "classification" in the sidebar/
11. Click on "plantae" (kingdom) and division and then show results, you should know see the major groups of plants. The superdivision "seed plants" contains what 5 divisions - list scientific and common names.
12. Click on "flowering plants" and list the two classes found within this category:
13. Choose one of those classes and write down two ORDERS that are beneath it.
14. Follow the links until you get to the name of a plant within that order - write both its scentific and common name.
Plant Fact Sheets
15. Go to the Fact Sheets and Plant Guides and choose a plant on the list (or use the search box to find a plant you are interested in)
Open the fact sheed (it is probably a .pdf file) to answer the following questions
a) What kind of plant is it (tree, shrub, flower, grass, other...)?
b) Where does it live?
c) Does it have any uses (food, ground cover, ornamental..etc)?
d) Is it endangered, protected, or dangerous/illegal? Write any interesting facts about this plant here:
Invasive and Noxious Weeds
16. Go to this link at the usda site and find your state. List one of the weeds found in your state and describe why it is on the "noxious" list.
Threatened and Endangered
17. Go to your state in this category and find a plant that is threatened or endangered. List three endangered plants that can be found in your state.