About This Course

This course focuses on land plant origins and subsequent diversification of land plant vegetative and reproductive form and function. Discussions synthesize morphological and anatomical knowledge from living organisms and fossil records with cellular, physiological, and molecular information on the developmental tool kit of land plants and their ancestors throughout geological time. Topics address the evolution of vegetative and reproductive meristems; stem, leaf, and root architecture; vascular tissue; the ovule habit; fertilization processes; and pollination biology.