BSc in Biology
In the BSc biology curriculum, we offer or are involved in the following teaching units:
- Biodiversity of Plants (summer)
- Introduction to Molecular Systematics (winter)
- Introduction to Plant Geography (winter)
- Functional Morphology of Plants (winter)
Please note: All our teaching sessions in the BSc biology curriculum are in German. Of course we can switch to English in individual cases, but considering the large numbers of German students this will remain an exception.
Biodiversity of Plants
- Contact: Jens G. Rohwer
- Target groups: BSc biology students, 4th semester
61-033 Synopsis of the Plant Kingdom (lecture)
Dieter Hanelt, Jens G. Rohwer
We present an overview of the most important groups of organisms that are tradionally the subject of botany (i.e., more than just "plants"): cyanobakteria ("blue-green algae"), the most important groups of algae, mosses, liverworts, ferns and other pteridophytes, gymnosperms and angiosperms, as well as the most important groups of fungi, including lichens. The basic questions answered are:
- Which are the most important evolutionary lineages?
- How can they be recognized?
- What are the stages of their reproductive cycles?
- What are the scientific terms for their most important structures?
- In which way are they related?
- What makes one group more successful than another?

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Scanning electron microscope photo of Streptocarpus pollen grains

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Light microscope photo of the cyanobacterium Anabaena azollae, with heterocytes

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Scanning electron microscope photo of a pollen grain of Clivia

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Tip of a stem of Cycas circinalis, with megasporophylls

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
One of the most common native lichens, Xanthoria parietina, with apothecia

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Foliose liverwort Lophocolea heterophylla with sporogones

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Branch of the common yew (Taxus baccata) with microsporangiate (= male) cones

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Red alga, Delesseria sanguinea, Rhodophyta

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Antheridial heads of Polytrichum

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Branches of Ephedra distachya with seed between fleshy scales

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Ovary of Narcissus pseudonarcissus, longitudinal section, showing numerous ovules

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Branches with cones of European larch (Larix decidua); pollen cones yellow, ovulate cone red, mature seed cone brown

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Peat moss (Sphagnum spec.) with sporogones

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Fruiting body of the fly agaric (Amanita muscaria, Basidiomycetes)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Fruiting bodies (apothecia) of the Black Bulgar (Bulgaria inquinans, Ascomycetes)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Moss with sporogones

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Embryo of a pea (Pisum sativum), one cotyledon separated, plumule (shoot bud) and radicle (initiation of primary root) clearly visible

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flower of Amborella trichopoda, sister group of all other angiosperms (often addressed as 'the most primitive living angiosperm')

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Bladderwrack, Fucus vesiculosus (brown algae, Phaeophyceae)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Ovulate cone of a cypress (Cupressus), with pollination droplets on tubular micropyles

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Green alga Ulva intestinalis

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Immature cone of Larix decidua: longitudinal section (left); seed scale with two developing seeds (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Light microscope photo of a moss rhizoid

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Scanning electron microscope photo of the peristome of Funaria hygrometrica

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Light microscope photo of a section of a seed of Petunia axillaris; pericarp visible in the upper right hand corner, placenta in the lower right hand corner

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Scanning electron microscope photo of Streptocarpus pollen grains

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Light microscope photo of the cyanobacterium Anabaena azollae, with heterocytes

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Scanning electron microscope photo of a pollen grain of Clivia

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Tip of a stem of Cycas circinalis, with megasporophylls

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
One of the most common native lichens, Xanthoria parietina, with apothecia

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Foliose liverwort Lophocolea heterophylla with sporogones

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Branch of the common yew (Taxus baccata) with microsporangiate (= male) cones

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Red alga, Delesseria sanguinea, Rhodophyta

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Antheridial heads of Polytrichum

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Branches of Ephedra distachya with seed between fleshy scales

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Ovary of Narcissus pseudonarcissus, longitudinal section, showing numerous ovules

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Branches with cones of European larch (Larix decidua); pollen cones yellow, ovulate cone red, mature seed cone brown

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Peat moss (Sphagnum spec.) with sporogones

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Fruiting body of the fly agaric (Amanita muscaria, Basidiomycetes)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Fruiting bodies (apothecia) of the Black Bulgar (Bulgaria inquinans, Ascomycetes)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Moss with sporogones

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Embryo of a pea (Pisum sativum), one cotyledon separated, plumule (shoot bud) and radicle (initiation of primary root) clearly visible

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flower of Amborella trichopoda, sister group of all other angiosperms (often addressed as 'the most primitive living angiosperm')

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Bladderwrack, Fucus vesiculosus (brown algae, Phaeophyceae)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Ovulate cone of a cypress (Cupressus), with pollination droplets on tubular micropyles

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Green alga Ulva intestinalis

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Immature cone of Larix decidua: longitudinal section (left); seed scale with two developing seeds (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Light microscope photo of a moss rhizoid

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Scanning electron microscope photo of the peristome of Funaria hygrometrica

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Light microscope photo of a section of a seed of Petunia axillaris; pericarp visible in the upper right hand corner, placenta in the lower right hand corner

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Scanning electron microscope photo of Streptocarpus pollen grains
61-034 Morphology and Systematics of Native Vascular Plants (lecture)
Jens G. Rohwer
This lecture explains the fundamentals necessary to become familiar with the native flora. Topics include:
- The most important structures of flowering plants
- Terminology for description and determination of plants
- The most important native plant families and how to recognize them
- The most important crop plants from these groups

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Schizocarps: Alcea rosea (left); Anthriscus sylvestris (center); Acer pseudoplatanus (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Root systems: allorhizal = with a primary root and secondary roots (left) and homorhizal = with more or less equal roots (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Storage roots (Campanula rapunculoides, left) and root tubers (Ficaria verna, right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Dichasial vegetative branching in (Syringa vulgaris)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Spine (pointed woody brachyblast) of Prunus spinosa bearing flower buds

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Phylloclades (leaf-like stems) of Ruscus aculeatus, in the right photo with a flower

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Scandent plants: twining in Humulus lupulus (left); by shoot tendrils in Vitis vinifera (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Rhizome = a subterranean stem serving as storage organ, in Anemone nemorosa

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Stolons = elongated stems as a means of vegetative reproduction in Potentilla anserina

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Stolons forming tubers in Solanum tuberosum

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
The three basic types of leaf arrangement: 1 leaf per node = alternate (Veronica filiformis, left); 2 leaves per node = opposite (Stellaria graminea, center); > 2 leaves per node = verticillate (Hippuris vulgaris, right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Photos of special cases of alternate leaf arrangement: distichous in Phalaris arundinacea (left); tristichous in Ceratrum album (center); spiral (3/8) in Hypochaeris radicata (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Perfect spirals in Romanesco cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis), organs following each other with the limit divergence angle of ca. 137.5°

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Structures of the leaf base: stipules in Malus spec. (left); leaf sheath in Angelica archangelica (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Basic types of leaf venation: parallel in Deschampsia caespitosa (left); pinnate in Carpinus betulus (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Leaf margins, from left to right: entire (Syringa vulgaris); serrate (Forsythia intermedia); aculeate-dentate (Mahonia aquifolium); crenate (Glechoma hederacea); sinuate (Quercus petraea)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Palmately dissected leaves in Malva moschata

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Pinnate leaf of a vetch (Vicia spec.), with stipules and tendrils

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Palmately compound leaves of Lupinus polyphyllus

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Simple racemose inflorescences, from left to right: raceme = axis elongate, flowers pedicellate (Brassica napus); spike = axis elongate, flowers sessile (Orobanche hederae); umbel = axis extremly short, flowers pedicellate (Astrantia major); capitulum = head = axis extremely short, flowers sessile (Scabiosa lucida)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Cymose inflorescences: dichasium (Stellaria holostea, left); scorpioid cyme (Symphytum officinale, right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Compound inflorescences: panicle (Ligustrum vulgare, left); funnel-shaped corymb (Filipendula ulmaria, center); thyrse (Aesculus hippocastanum, right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Inflorescences (catkins) of poplars (Populus spp.): pistillate (left) and staminate (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flower of Gagea lutea, with a perigone = perianth parts more or less equal

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flower of Spergula arvensis, with perianth consisting of calyx and corolla

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Apochlamydeous flowers (= without any perianth) of the common ash (Fraxinus excelsior)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flower of Dianthus deltoides: actinomorphic = with more than 2 planes of symmetry

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flowers of the bleeding heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis): disymmetric = with 2 planes of symmetry perpendicular to one another

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flowers of Euphrasia officinalis: zygomorphic = with a single plane of symmetry

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flowers of Corydalis cava, their spur chewed open by bumblebees

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flowers of Anemone nemorosa (Ranunculaceae), with a perigone = perianth parts more or less equal and a polymerous androecium = stamens numerous

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flowers with diplostemonous androeceum = twice as many stamens as petals (Oxalis corniculata, left) and with haplostemonous androeceum = as many stamens as petals (Sambucus nigra, right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Different types of anther dehiscence: longicidal = lengthwise, the most common type (Lilium martagon, left), poricidal = with pores or very short slits (Solanum tuberosum, center), and valvate = with flaps (Mahonia aquifolium, right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Fusion of filaments: with the corolla tube, leading to a joint stamen-corolla tube (Syringa vulgaris, left); with each other, leading to a filament tube separate from the corolla (Malva moschata, right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Gynoecia: choricarpous = consisting of several free carpels (Helleborus niger, left); coenocarpous = consisting of several (here 3) fused carpels (Tropaeolum majus, right), note single style with 3 stigmatic branches

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Ovary positions: superior = flower hypogynous = all other floral parts inserted below the insertion of the gynoecium (Hyacinthoides non-scripta, left); inferior = flower epigynous = all other flower parts inserted on top of the ovary (Galanthus nivalis, right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Placentation types in choricarpous gynoecia: submarginal = along the ventral suture of the carpel (Aquilegia vulgaris, left) and laminal = scattered on the entire surface (Nymphaea), in cross section (center) and longitudinal section (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Placentation types in coenocarpous gynoecia: axile = in the center of a septate ovary (Tulipa gesneriana, left); parietal = on the ovary wall (Menyanthes trifoliata, right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Free central placentation in Primula vulgaris: longitudinal section of flower (left); cross section of young fruit (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Open follicles in Eranthis hyemalis

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Legumes of Vicia sativa: mature but still closed (left); dehisced (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Monocarpellate berries in Berberis thunbergii

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Peach (Prunus persica), longitudinal section

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Nutlets in Ranunculus sceleratus

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Fleshy fruits with nutlets: strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa, left), with a buldging receptacle as the fleshy part; hip of Japanese rose (Rosa rugosa, right), with hypanthium as the fleshy part

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Fruit consisting of drupelets in raspberry (Rubus idaeus); sepals, stamens and styles still preserved

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Fruits (loculicidal capsules) of Iris pseudacorus

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Septicidal capsule = opening in the plane of the septa in Digitalis purpurea

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Capsules with special types of dehiscence: valvate by teeth in Silene dioica (left); poricidal = by pores in Papaver dubium (center); operculate = with a lid in Plantago lanceolata (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Fruits (siliques) of Erysimum cheiri

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Longitudinal section of a tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum), a berry with fleshy pericarp and sarcotestal seeds

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Cross section of an olive (Olea europaea), a bicarpellate drupe; testa, endosperm and embryo visible in the only developed seed, septum and an aborted ovule in the second locule visible; embedded in methacrylate resin

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Immature fruits (acorns) of the common oak (Quercus robur); nuts in a cupule

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Fruits (samaras) of Ulmus glabra

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Fruit (schizocarp) of Anchusa arvensis

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Schizocarps: Alcea rosea (left); Anthriscus sylvestris (center); Acer pseudoplatanus (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Root systems: allorhizal = with a primary root and secondary roots (left) and homorhizal = with more or less equal roots (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Storage roots (Campanula rapunculoides, left) and root tubers (Ficaria verna, right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Dichasial vegetative branching in (Syringa vulgaris)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Spine (pointed woody brachyblast) of Prunus spinosa bearing flower buds

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Phylloclades (leaf-like stems) of Ruscus aculeatus, in the right photo with a flower

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Scandent plants: twining in Humulus lupulus (left); by shoot tendrils in Vitis vinifera (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Rhizome = a subterranean stem serving as storage organ, in Anemone nemorosa

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Stolons = elongated stems as a means of vegetative reproduction in Potentilla anserina

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Stolons forming tubers in Solanum tuberosum

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
The three basic types of leaf arrangement: 1 leaf per node = alternate (Veronica filiformis, left); 2 leaves per node = opposite (Stellaria graminea, center); > 2 leaves per node = verticillate (Hippuris vulgaris, right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Photos of special cases of alternate leaf arrangement: distichous in Phalaris arundinacea (left); tristichous in Ceratrum album (center); spiral (3/8) in Hypochaeris radicata (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Perfect spirals in Romanesco cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis), organs following each other with the limit divergence angle of ca. 137.5°

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Structures of the leaf base: stipules in Malus spec. (left); leaf sheath in Angelica archangelica (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Basic types of leaf venation: parallel in Deschampsia caespitosa (left); pinnate in Carpinus betulus (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Leaf margins, from left to right: entire (Syringa vulgaris); serrate (Forsythia intermedia); aculeate-dentate (Mahonia aquifolium); crenate (Glechoma hederacea); sinuate (Quercus petraea)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Palmately dissected leaves in Malva moschata

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Pinnate leaf of a vetch (Vicia spec.), with stipules and tendrils

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Palmately compound leaves of Lupinus polyphyllus

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Simple racemose inflorescences, from left to right: raceme = axis elongate, flowers pedicellate (Brassica napus); spike = axis elongate, flowers sessile (Orobanche hederae); umbel = axis extremly short, flowers pedicellate (Astrantia major); capitulum = head = axis extremely short, flowers sessile (Scabiosa lucida)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Cymose inflorescences: dichasium (Stellaria holostea, left); scorpioid cyme (Symphytum officinale, right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Compound inflorescences: panicle (Ligustrum vulgare, left); funnel-shaped corymb (Filipendula ulmaria, center); thyrse (Aesculus hippocastanum, right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Inflorescences (catkins) of poplars (Populus spp.): pistillate (left) and staminate (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flower of Gagea lutea, with a perigone = perianth parts more or less equal

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flower of Spergula arvensis, with perianth consisting of calyx and corolla

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Apochlamydeous flowers (= without any perianth) of the common ash (Fraxinus excelsior)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flower of Dianthus deltoides: actinomorphic = with more than 2 planes of symmetry

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flowers of the bleeding heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis): disymmetric = with 2 planes of symmetry perpendicular to one another

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flowers of Euphrasia officinalis: zygomorphic = with a single plane of symmetry

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flowers of Corydalis cava, their spur chewed open by bumblebees

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flowers of Anemone nemorosa (Ranunculaceae), with a perigone = perianth parts more or less equal and a polymerous androecium = stamens numerous

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flowers with diplostemonous androeceum = twice as many stamens as petals (Oxalis corniculata, left) and with haplostemonous androeceum = as many stamens as petals (Sambucus nigra, right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Different types of anther dehiscence: longicidal = lengthwise, the most common type (Lilium martagon, left), poricidal = with pores or very short slits (Solanum tuberosum, center), and valvate = with flaps (Mahonia aquifolium, right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Fusion of filaments: with the corolla tube, leading to a joint stamen-corolla tube (Syringa vulgaris, left); with each other, leading to a filament tube separate from the corolla (Malva moschata, right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Gynoecia: choricarpous = consisting of several free carpels (Helleborus niger, left); coenocarpous = consisting of several (here 3) fused carpels (Tropaeolum majus, right), note single style with 3 stigmatic branches

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Ovary positions: superior = flower hypogynous = all other floral parts inserted below the insertion of the gynoecium (Hyacinthoides non-scripta, left); inferior = flower epigynous = all other flower parts inserted on top of the ovary (Galanthus nivalis, right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Placentation types in choricarpous gynoecia: submarginal = along the ventral suture of the carpel (Aquilegia vulgaris, left) and laminal = scattered on the entire surface (Nymphaea), in cross section (center) and longitudinal section (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Placentation types in coenocarpous gynoecia: axile = in the center of a septate ovary (Tulipa gesneriana, left); parietal = on the ovary wall (Menyanthes trifoliata, right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Free central placentation in Primula vulgaris: longitudinal section of flower (left); cross section of young fruit (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Open follicles in Eranthis hyemalis

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Legumes of Vicia sativa: mature but still closed (left); dehisced (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Monocarpellate berries in Berberis thunbergii

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Peach (Prunus persica), longitudinal section

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Nutlets in Ranunculus sceleratus

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Fleshy fruits with nutlets: strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa, left), with a buldging receptacle as the fleshy part; hip of Japanese rose (Rosa rugosa, right), with hypanthium as the fleshy part

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Fruit consisting of drupelets in raspberry (Rubus idaeus); sepals, stamens and styles still preserved

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Fruits (loculicidal capsules) of Iris pseudacorus

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Septicidal capsule = opening in the plane of the septa in Digitalis purpurea

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Capsules with special types of dehiscence: valvate by teeth in Silene dioica (left); poricidal = by pores in Papaver dubium (center); operculate = with a lid in Plantago lanceolata (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Fruits (siliques) of Erysimum cheiri

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Longitudinal section of a tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum), a berry with fleshy pericarp and sarcotestal seeds

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Cross section of an olive (Olea europaea), a bicarpellate drupe; testa, endosperm and embryo visible in the only developed seed, septum and an aborted ovule in the second locule visible; embedded in methacrylate resin

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Immature fruits (acorns) of the common oak (Quercus robur); nuts in a cupule

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Fruits (samaras) of Ulmus glabra

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Fruit (schizocarp) of Anchusa arvensis

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Schizocarps: Alcea rosea (left); Anthriscus sylvestris (center); Acer pseudoplatanus (right)
61-035 / 61-036 Selected Examples from the Plant Kingdom (seminar / practical course)
Felicitas Gunter, Dieter Hanelt, Jens G. Rohwer
In this course the students have the opportunity to examine selected representatives of the groups treated in "Synopsis of the Plant Kingdom" and to familiarize themselves with the morphological details of these organisms.

Photo: UHH/Rohwer/Rudolph
Marchantia polymorpha; left: tips of thalli with archegoniophores; right: light microscope photo of a longitudinal section of an archegonium

Photo: UHH/Rudolph
Laminaria, cross section of a thallus in the region of a sorus

Photo: UHH/Hanelt
Zygnematophyceae; left: Closterium; center: Micrasterias; right: Spirogyra

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Peat moss (Sphagnum): habit (left) and detail of a phylloid in the light microscope (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer/Rudolph
Female reproductive structures of Pinus sylvestris; left: tip of branch with ovulate cone of the current year; right: light microscope photo of a longitudinal section of an ovule, two egg cells and boreholes in the nucellus caused by pollen tubes clearly visible

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Strobili of a pine tree (Pinus); left: group of pollen cones; right: young ovulate cone at the time of pollination, pollination droplets visible on the cone scales

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Prothallium of a leptosporangiate fern (left), with necks of archgonia (center) and antheridia (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer/Rudolph
Common horsetail (Equisetum arvense); left: part of a strobilus, in this case a spike of sporangiophores; right: cross section of a strobilus in the light microscope

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Haircap moss (Polytrichum); left: habit; right: cross section of a phylloid in the light microscope

Photo: UHH/Hanelt/Rudolph
Bacillariophyceae; left: Pleurosigma; right: Arachnoidiscus

Photo: UHH/Rohwer/Rudolph
Groups of antheridia of mosses; left: Polytrichum, cauloids with terminal groups of antheridia seen from above; right: Mnium, light microscope photo of a longitudinal section of a group of antheridia

Photo: UHH/Rohwer/Rudolph
Capsella bursa-pastoris; left: silicule, just opening; medium left: replum with seeds; right: longitudinal section of a young seed in the light microscope

Photo: UHH/Rudolph
Light microscope photo of a longitudinal section of a microsporophyll of Pinus

Photo: UHH/Rohwer/Rudolph
Leaf details of Drypteris, a leptosporangiate fern; left: abaxial surface of a second order pinna, with sori; right: section of a sorus in the light microscope

Photo: UHH/Rohwer/Rudolph
Marchantia polymorpha; left: archegoniophore with sporogones in different stages of development, the outer ones already dehisced; right: light microscope photo of a longitudinal section of an immature sporogone

Photo: UHH/Rohwer/Rudolph
Flower buds of Campanula; left: longitudinal section, shortly before anthesis; right: cross section in the light microscope

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Peristome of mosses; left: sporogone with spreading peristome teeth; right: persistome teeth in the light microscope

Photo: UHH/Hanelt/Rohwer
Chlorophyceae; left: Pediastrum; right: Oedogonium

Photo: UHH/Hanelt/Rohwer
Cyanobacteria; left: Chroococcus turgidus; right: Anabaena azollae, with heterocytes

Photo: UHH/Rohwer/Rudolph
Marchantia polymorpha; left: tips of thalli with archegoniophores; right: light microscope photo of a longitudinal section of an archegonium

Photo: UHH/Rudolph
Laminaria, cross section of a thallus in the region of a sorus

Photo: UHH/Hanelt
Zygnematophyceae; left: Closterium; center: Micrasterias; right: Spirogyra

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Peat moss (Sphagnum): habit (left) and detail of a phylloid in the light microscope (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer/Rudolph
Female reproductive structures of Pinus sylvestris; left: tip of branch with ovulate cone of the current year; right: light microscope photo of a longitudinal section of an ovule, two egg cells and boreholes in the nucellus caused by pollen tubes clearly visible

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Strobili of a pine tree (Pinus); left: group of pollen cones; right: young ovulate cone at the time of pollination, pollination droplets visible on the cone scales

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Prothallium of a leptosporangiate fern (left), with necks of archgonia (center) and antheridia (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer/Rudolph
Common horsetail (Equisetum arvense); left: part of a strobilus, in this case a spike of sporangiophores; right: cross section of a strobilus in the light microscope

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Haircap moss (Polytrichum); left: habit; right: cross section of a phylloid in the light microscope

Photo: UHH/Hanelt/Rudolph
Bacillariophyceae; left: Pleurosigma; right: Arachnoidiscus

Photo: UHH/Rohwer/Rudolph
Groups of antheridia of mosses; left: Polytrichum, cauloids with terminal groups of antheridia seen from above; right: Mnium, light microscope photo of a longitudinal section of a group of antheridia

Photo: UHH/Rohwer/Rudolph
Capsella bursa-pastoris; left: silicule, just opening; medium left: replum with seeds; right: longitudinal section of a young seed in the light microscope

Photo: UHH/Rudolph
Light microscope photo of a longitudinal section of a microsporophyll of Pinus

Photo: UHH/Rohwer/Rudolph
Leaf details of Drypteris, a leptosporangiate fern; left: abaxial surface of a second order pinna, with sori; right: section of a sorus in the light microscope

Photo: UHH/Rohwer/Rudolph
Marchantia polymorpha; left: archegoniophore with sporogones in different stages of development, the outer ones already dehisced; right: light microscope photo of a longitudinal section of an immature sporogone

Photo: UHH/Rohwer/Rudolph
Flower buds of Campanula; left: longitudinal section, shortly before anthesis; right: cross section in the light microscope

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Peristome of mosses; left: sporogone with spreading peristome teeth; right: persistome teeth in the light microscope

Photo: UHH/Hanelt/Rohwer
Chlorophyceae; left: Pediastrum; right: Oedogonium

Photo: UHH/Hanelt/Rohwer
Cyanobacteria; left: Chroococcus turgidus; right: Anabaena azollae, with heterocytes

Photo: UHH/Rohwer/Rudolph
Marchantia polymorpha; left: tips of thalli with archegoniophores; right: light microscope photo of a longitudinal section of an archegonium
61-037 Introduction to Plant Determination (practical course)
Jens G. Rohwer, Stefan Rust
The students will learn how plant species are determined based on morphological characters. The necessary terminology is presented in the lecture "Morphology and Systematics of Native Vascular Plants". Since a reliable determination requires more practice, it is recommended that students interested in organismic botany (evolution, ecology, conservation or systematics) choose "Determination of Vascular Plants" (61-705) instead of this course.
61-705 Determination of Vascular Plants (practical course)
Jens G. Rohwer, Stefan Rust
A reliable determination of plants is not only essential for research in evolution, ecology, conservation or systematics, but is also a skill in demand by many employers, such as conservation authorities, environmental NGOs, consultants and planning offices. Here we show how that works, and the students have the opportunity to practice and to improve their skills.

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Fruiting capitulum of Senecio inaequidens (Asteraceae)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Inflorescences of Liliaceae: solitary flower in Fritillaria meleagris (left), raceme in Lilium martagon (center), pseudo-umbel in Fritillaria imperialis (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flowers of Liliaceae: Tulipa sylvestris (left) and Lilium bulbiferum (right), showing the typical construction of the family: actinomorphic, with 3+3 (sub)equal tepals, 3+3 stamens and a superior ovary consisting of three fused carpels

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Ovary of Tulipa gesneriana: lateral view (left); cross section (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Fruits (loculicidal capsules) of Liliaceae: Tulipa gesneriana (left), Lilium regale (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flowers of Asparagaceae: Anthericum liliago (left), with free tepals; Polygonatum multiflorum (right), with fused tepals

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Asparagaceae fruits: loculicidal capsules in Muscari botryoides (left), berries in Convallaria majalis (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Inflorescences in Amaryllidaceae: many-flowered (pseudo-)umbel in Allium flavum (left); two-flowered umbel in Leucojum vernum (center); single flower in Galanthus nivalis (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Inflorescences in Asparagaceae: solitary flower in Asparagus officinalis (left); raceme in Muscari latifolium (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Amaryllidaceae flowers: Narcissus poeticus (left), with a paracorolla; Allium ursinum (right), an exception within the family because of its superior ovary

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flower of Galanthus nivalis (Amaryllidaceae), longitudinal section, showing inferior ovary

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Amaryllidaceae fruits: Narcissus pseudonarcissus (left), a loculicidal capsule; Galanthus nivalis (right), a transitional form between capsule and berry

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Crops plants in Amaryllidaceae: Onion (Allium cepa, left), longitudinal section of the bulb; Chives (Allium schoenoprasum, center), flowering plant; Leek (Allium porrum, right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Pulsatilla vulgaris (Ranunculaceae)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Leaves of Ranunculaceae: undivided in Caltha palustris (left); bipinnate in Actaea racemosa (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Deeply palmately dissected leaf of Ranunculus acris (Ranunculaceae)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flower of Helleborus niger (Ranunculaceae), seen from back side, with simple perianth and bracts below the flower

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flowers of Helleborus niger (Ranunculaceae), with nectar leaves between perianth and androecium

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Petals derived from nectar leaves in Ranunculus acris (Ranunculaceae): entire flower, lateral view (left); single petal = nectar leaf (right), note nectar gland at the base

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flower of Aquilegia vulgaris (Ranunculaceae), with five spurred nectar leaves

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Zygomorphic flowers in Ranunculaceae: spurred in Consolida regalis (left); helmet-shaped in Aconitum lycoctonum (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flowers of a garden form of Delphinium elatum (Ranunculaceae): tip of a partial inflorescence (left); longitudinal section of a flower (right), with a nectar leaves reaching deeply into the spur, one of them removed and placed above the flower

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
The most common fruit types in Ranunculaceae: nutlets in Ranunculus sceleratus (left); follicles in Eranthis hyemalis (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Fruit of Clematis vitalba (Ranunculaceae): nutlets with densely pubescent styles

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Actaea spicata, with its solitary carpel and berries an exception among the Ranunculaceae: flowers (left) and fruits (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Leaf bases of Rosaceae, with stipules: Malus spec. (left); Sorbus aucuparia (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Rosaceae flowers with epicalyx, seen from back side: Potentilla neumanniana (left), Fragaria ananassa (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Rosaceae flowers: Rosa multiflora (left), with the typical flower construction; Sanguisorba minor (right), with unisexual flowers arranged in a head

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Longitudinal sections of Rosaceae flowers: Rosa rugosa (left), carpels enclosed in hypanthium; Geum rivale (right), carpels raised on a gynophore

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Photos of the gynoecium position in Rosaceae: superior = flower hypogynous in Fragaria moschata (left); in hypanthium = flower perigynous in Prunus serotina (center); inferior = flower epigynous in Malus domestica (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Follicles of Physocarpus opulifolius (Rosaceae)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Photos of special nutlets in Rosaceae: Geum urbanum (left), with styles acting as barbs; Filipendula ulmaria (right), with twisted nutlets

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Fruits consisting of druplets in Rosaceae: Rubus saxatilis (left); R. caesius (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Rosaceae, fleshy fruits with nutlets: strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa, left), with enlarged fleshy receptacle; hip of Japanese Rose (Rosa rugosa, right), hypanthium fleshy

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Longitudinal sections of fleshy fruits of Rosaceae: Apple (Malus domestica, left), an inferior berry; Apricot (Prunus armeniaca, right), a drupe

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Species showing the typical rough indument of Boraginaceae: Achusa azurea (left); Symphytum officinale (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Tip of the scorpioid cyme of Myosotis arvensis (Boraginaceae)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flowers of Pentaglottis sempervirens (Boraginaceae), with protruding faucal scales

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Zygomorphic flowers, a rare character in Boraginaceae: Echium vulgare (left), Anchusa arvensis (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Photo of a longitudinally opened corolla of Symphytum officinale (Boraginaceae), with faucal scales alternating with stamens

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Immature fruit (schizocarp) of Pentaglottis sempervirens (Boraginaceae)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Photos of the characteristic vegetative characters of Lamiaceae: quadrangular stems and opposite leaves, in Lamium purpureum (left) und Lycopus europaeus (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Typical zygomorphic Lamiaceae flowers in Galeopsis bifida

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Longitudinal section of a flower of Lamium maculatum (Lamiaceae)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flower of Teucrium chamaedrys (Lamiaceae)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Calyces of Leonurus cardiaca (Lamiaceae), with almost mature fruits

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Halophytic Brassicaceae on the shore of the Baltic sea: Crambe maritima (left); Cakile maritima (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Leaves in Brassicaceae: Capsella bursa-pastoris (left), undivided, sessile, amplexicaul; Barbarea vulgaris (center), pinnatifid, sessile, auriculate; Lunaria annua (right), cordate, petiolate

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
The typical inflorescence in Brassicaceae: ebracteate racemes, in Arabidopsis thaliana (left) and Brassica napus (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
The typical flower construction in Brassicaceae, K4 C4 A2+4 G(2): Rorippa sylvestris (left); Cardamine amara (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Fruits in Brassicaceae: beaked silique in Eruca sativa (left); silicle in Thlaspi arvense (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Roots of Trifolium dubium (Fabaceae), with nodules

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Fabaceae leaves: Trifolium dubium (left), with stipules at the base of the petiole; Phaseolus vulgaris (right), with stipellules at the bases of the petiolules

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Pinnate leaf of Vicia sativa (Fabaceae), with tendrils derived from leaflets

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Inflorescences of Fabaceae: almost capitulate in Trifolium badium (left); raceme in Melilotus albus (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flowers of Fabaceae: Ornithopus perpusillus (left), with red-veined banner, paler wings and yellow keel; Lupinus polyphyllus (right), wings and half of the keel removed, showing the filament tube

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Legumes of Vicia sativa (Fabaceae): still closed (left); dehisced (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Leaves in Caryophyllaceae: Cerastium fontanum (left), opposite, sessile, without stipules and apparently 1-nerved, the most common pattern in Caryophyllaceae; Spergula arvensis (center), pseudo-verticillate; Spergularia rubra (right), with membraneous interpetiolar stipules

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Dichasial inflorescence of Stellaria aquatica (Caryophyllaceae)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Caryophyllaceae flowers: Spergularia rubra (left), with free sepals; Silene vulgaris (right), with fused sepals

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flowers of Silene dioica (Caryophyllaceae), opened longitudinally: female (left) and male (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Photo of a capsule of Cerastium fontanum (Caryophyllaceae), opening by teeth

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Alopecurus pratensis (Poaceae): upper end of leaf sheath, with ligule (left); longitudinal section of culm, with solid node (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Panicle branch of Poa pratensis (Poaceae), with flowering spikelets

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Poaceae spikelets: Bromus secalinus (left), lemmae with awns; Briza media (right), without awns

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Spikelet and flower parts of Festuca rubra (Poaceae): on the left three closed flowers, a lemma (with awn) and a palea (without awn) removed; in the center and on the right two flowers without their floral bracts

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Fruiting spikelets of Arrhenatherum elatius (Poaceae), with bent awns

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Stems and leaves of Juncaceae: Luzula campestris (left), with pubescent leaf sheath; Juncus effusus (center), longitudinal section of leaf; Juncus articulatus (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Inflorescence of Luzula campestris (Juncaceae)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flowers of Juncus tenuis (Juncaceae)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Infructescence of Juncus inflexus (Juncaceae)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Details of Carex hirta (Cyperaceae): stem with leaf sheaths (left); pistillate flowering spike (center); staminate flowering spike (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Photos of Schoenoplectus lacustris (Cyperaceae): base of shoot (left); longitudinally cut shoot (center); tip of shoot with flowering spikelets (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Scirpus silvaticus (Cyperaceae): entire inflorescence (left) and detail (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Fruiting spikes of Carex (Cyperaceae): C. pseudocyperus (left); C. riparia (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Infructescences of Eriophorum (Cyperaceae): E. angustifolium (left); E. vaginatum (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flowering Plantaginaceae: Misopates orontium (left); Digitalis grandiflora (center); Globularia cordifolia (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flower of Cymbalaria muralis: frontal view (left) and longitudinal section (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Fruits of Plantaginaceae: septicidal capsules in Digitalis purpurea (left), poricidal capsules in Antirrhinum majus (center), operculate capsules in Plantago lanceolata (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Aquatic plants in the Plantaginaceae: Hippuris vulgaris (left), Callitriche spec. (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Leaves of Apiaceae: Helosciadium nodiflorum (left), simply pinnate; Chaerophyllum bulbosum (right), multiply pinnate

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Upper stem leaf of Angelica sylvestris (Apiaceae), with big leaf sheath

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
The typical compound umbel of Apiaceae (Laserpitium siler)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Details of Apiaceae inflorescences: first-order branching of the umbel in Conium maculatum (left), with involucral bracts; second-order branching = umbellule of Anthriscus sylvestris (right), with involucels

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flowers of Apiaceae: Caraway (Carum carvi, left); Dill (Anethum graveolens, right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Fruits of Apiaceae, from left to right: Anthriscus sylvestris, Carum carvi, Angelica sylvestris, Scandix pecten-veneris

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Leaves in Campanulaceae: almost linear in Campanula rotundifolia (left – the epithet rotundifolia refers to the basal rosett leaves only); cordate in Phyteuma spicatum (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Inflorescences in Campanulaceae: raceme in Campanula rapunculoides (left); spike in Phyteuma spicatum (center); head-like umbel in Jasione montana (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flowers of Campanula persicifolia; lateral view (left) and frontal view (right); stamens already wilted before opening of the flower

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flower of Lobelia erinus, frontal and lateral view

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Capsules in Campanulaceae: Campanula persicifolia (left), with distal pores in upright capsules; C. rapunculoides (right), with proximal pores in pendent capsules

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Leaves of Asteraceae: Scorzonera hispanica (left); Achillea millefolium (center); Cirsium dissectum (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Capitula of Asteraceae: Cichorium intybus (left), with ray florets only; Tripleurospermum maritimum (center), with ray florets and disk florets; Cirsium oleraceum (right), with disk florets only

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Closeup of the rim of a capitulum of Helianthus annuus (Asteraceae); spreading stigma branches visible in some florets in the foreground

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Longitudinal section of a capitulum of Leucanthemum vulgare (Asteraceae)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Florets of Leucanthemum vulgare: ray floret(left) and two disk florets, in male phase (center) and in female phase (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Fruiting capitulum of Senecio inaequidens (Asteraceae)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Inflorescences of Liliaceae: solitary flower in Fritillaria meleagris (left), raceme in Lilium martagon (center), pseudo-umbel in Fritillaria imperialis (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flowers of Liliaceae: Tulipa sylvestris (left) and Lilium bulbiferum (right), showing the typical construction of the family: actinomorphic, with 3+3 (sub)equal tepals, 3+3 stamens and a superior ovary consisting of three fused carpels

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Ovary of Tulipa gesneriana: lateral view (left); cross section (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Fruits (loculicidal capsules) of Liliaceae: Tulipa gesneriana (left), Lilium regale (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flowers of Asparagaceae: Anthericum liliago (left), with free tepals; Polygonatum multiflorum (right), with fused tepals

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Asparagaceae fruits: loculicidal capsules in Muscari botryoides (left), berries in Convallaria majalis (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Inflorescences in Amaryllidaceae: many-flowered (pseudo-)umbel in Allium flavum (left); two-flowered umbel in Leucojum vernum (center); single flower in Galanthus nivalis (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Inflorescences in Asparagaceae: solitary flower in Asparagus officinalis (left); raceme in Muscari latifolium (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Amaryllidaceae flowers: Narcissus poeticus (left), with a paracorolla; Allium ursinum (right), an exception within the family because of its superior ovary

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flower of Galanthus nivalis (Amaryllidaceae), longitudinal section, showing inferior ovary

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Amaryllidaceae fruits: Narcissus pseudonarcissus (left), a loculicidal capsule; Galanthus nivalis (right), a transitional form between capsule and berry

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Crops plants in Amaryllidaceae: Onion (Allium cepa, left), longitudinal section of the bulb; Chives (Allium schoenoprasum, center), flowering plant; Leek (Allium porrum, right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Pulsatilla vulgaris (Ranunculaceae)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Leaves of Ranunculaceae: undivided in Caltha palustris (left); bipinnate in Actaea racemosa (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Deeply palmately dissected leaf of Ranunculus acris (Ranunculaceae)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flower of Helleborus niger (Ranunculaceae), seen from back side, with simple perianth and bracts below the flower

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flowers of Helleborus niger (Ranunculaceae), with nectar leaves between perianth and androecium

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Petals derived from nectar leaves in Ranunculus acris (Ranunculaceae): entire flower, lateral view (left); single petal = nectar leaf (right), note nectar gland at the base

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flower of Aquilegia vulgaris (Ranunculaceae), with five spurred nectar leaves

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Zygomorphic flowers in Ranunculaceae: spurred in Consolida regalis (left); helmet-shaped in Aconitum lycoctonum (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flowers of a garden form of Delphinium elatum (Ranunculaceae): tip of a partial inflorescence (left); longitudinal section of a flower (right), with a nectar leaves reaching deeply into the spur, one of them removed and placed above the flower

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
The most common fruit types in Ranunculaceae: nutlets in Ranunculus sceleratus (left); follicles in Eranthis hyemalis (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Fruit of Clematis vitalba (Ranunculaceae): nutlets with densely pubescent styles

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Actaea spicata, with its solitary carpel and berries an exception among the Ranunculaceae: flowers (left) and fruits (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Leaf bases of Rosaceae, with stipules: Malus spec. (left); Sorbus aucuparia (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Rosaceae flowers with epicalyx, seen from back side: Potentilla neumanniana (left), Fragaria ananassa (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Rosaceae flowers: Rosa multiflora (left), with the typical flower construction; Sanguisorba minor (right), with unisexual flowers arranged in a head

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Longitudinal sections of Rosaceae flowers: Rosa rugosa (left), carpels enclosed in hypanthium; Geum rivale (right), carpels raised on a gynophore

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Photos of the gynoecium position in Rosaceae: superior = flower hypogynous in Fragaria moschata (left); in hypanthium = flower perigynous in Prunus serotina (center); inferior = flower epigynous in Malus domestica (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Follicles of Physocarpus opulifolius (Rosaceae)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Photos of special nutlets in Rosaceae: Geum urbanum (left), with styles acting as barbs; Filipendula ulmaria (right), with twisted nutlets

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Fruits consisting of druplets in Rosaceae: Rubus saxatilis (left); R. caesius (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Rosaceae, fleshy fruits with nutlets: strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa, left), with enlarged fleshy receptacle; hip of Japanese Rose (Rosa rugosa, right), hypanthium fleshy

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Longitudinal sections of fleshy fruits of Rosaceae: Apple (Malus domestica, left), an inferior berry; Apricot (Prunus armeniaca, right), a drupe

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Species showing the typical rough indument of Boraginaceae: Achusa azurea (left); Symphytum officinale (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Tip of the scorpioid cyme of Myosotis arvensis (Boraginaceae)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flowers of Pentaglottis sempervirens (Boraginaceae), with protruding faucal scales

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Zygomorphic flowers, a rare character in Boraginaceae: Echium vulgare (left), Anchusa arvensis (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Photo of a longitudinally opened corolla of Symphytum officinale (Boraginaceae), with faucal scales alternating with stamens

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Immature fruit (schizocarp) of Pentaglottis sempervirens (Boraginaceae)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Photos of the characteristic vegetative characters of Lamiaceae: quadrangular stems and opposite leaves, in Lamium purpureum (left) und Lycopus europaeus (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Typical zygomorphic Lamiaceae flowers in Galeopsis bifida

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Longitudinal section of a flower of Lamium maculatum (Lamiaceae)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flower of Teucrium chamaedrys (Lamiaceae)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Calyces of Leonurus cardiaca (Lamiaceae), with almost mature fruits

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Halophytic Brassicaceae on the shore of the Baltic sea: Crambe maritima (left); Cakile maritima (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Leaves in Brassicaceae: Capsella bursa-pastoris (left), undivided, sessile, amplexicaul; Barbarea vulgaris (center), pinnatifid, sessile, auriculate; Lunaria annua (right), cordate, petiolate

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
The typical inflorescence in Brassicaceae: ebracteate racemes, in Arabidopsis thaliana (left) and Brassica napus (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
The typical flower construction in Brassicaceae, K4 C4 A2+4 G(2): Rorippa sylvestris (left); Cardamine amara (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Fruits in Brassicaceae: beaked silique in Eruca sativa (left); silicle in Thlaspi arvense (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Roots of Trifolium dubium (Fabaceae), with nodules

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Fabaceae leaves: Trifolium dubium (left), with stipules at the base of the petiole; Phaseolus vulgaris (right), with stipellules at the bases of the petiolules

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Pinnate leaf of Vicia sativa (Fabaceae), with tendrils derived from leaflets

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Inflorescences of Fabaceae: almost capitulate in Trifolium badium (left); raceme in Melilotus albus (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flowers of Fabaceae: Ornithopus perpusillus (left), with red-veined banner, paler wings and yellow keel; Lupinus polyphyllus (right), wings and half of the keel removed, showing the filament tube

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Legumes of Vicia sativa (Fabaceae): still closed (left); dehisced (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Leaves in Caryophyllaceae: Cerastium fontanum (left), opposite, sessile, without stipules and apparently 1-nerved, the most common pattern in Caryophyllaceae; Spergula arvensis (center), pseudo-verticillate; Spergularia rubra (right), with membraneous interpetiolar stipules

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Dichasial inflorescence of Stellaria aquatica (Caryophyllaceae)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Caryophyllaceae flowers: Spergularia rubra (left), with free sepals; Silene vulgaris (right), with fused sepals

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flowers of Silene dioica (Caryophyllaceae), opened longitudinally: female (left) and male (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Photo of a capsule of Cerastium fontanum (Caryophyllaceae), opening by teeth

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Alopecurus pratensis (Poaceae): upper end of leaf sheath, with ligule (left); longitudinal section of culm, with solid node (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Panicle branch of Poa pratensis (Poaceae), with flowering spikelets

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Poaceae spikelets: Bromus secalinus (left), lemmae with awns; Briza media (right), without awns

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Spikelet and flower parts of Festuca rubra (Poaceae): on the left three closed flowers, a lemma (with awn) and a palea (without awn) removed; in the center and on the right two flowers without their floral bracts

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Fruiting spikelets of Arrhenatherum elatius (Poaceae), with bent awns

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Stems and leaves of Juncaceae: Luzula campestris (left), with pubescent leaf sheath; Juncus effusus (center), longitudinal section of leaf; Juncus articulatus (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Inflorescence of Luzula campestris (Juncaceae)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flowers of Juncus tenuis (Juncaceae)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Infructescence of Juncus inflexus (Juncaceae)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Details of Carex hirta (Cyperaceae): stem with leaf sheaths (left); pistillate flowering spike (center); staminate flowering spike (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Photos of Schoenoplectus lacustris (Cyperaceae): base of shoot (left); longitudinally cut shoot (center); tip of shoot with flowering spikelets (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Scirpus silvaticus (Cyperaceae): entire inflorescence (left) and detail (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Fruiting spikes of Carex (Cyperaceae): C. pseudocyperus (left); C. riparia (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Infructescences of Eriophorum (Cyperaceae): E. angustifolium (left); E. vaginatum (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flowering Plantaginaceae: Misopates orontium (left); Digitalis grandiflora (center); Globularia cordifolia (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flower of Cymbalaria muralis: frontal view (left) and longitudinal section (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Fruits of Plantaginaceae: septicidal capsules in Digitalis purpurea (left), poricidal capsules in Antirrhinum majus (center), operculate capsules in Plantago lanceolata (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Aquatic plants in the Plantaginaceae: Hippuris vulgaris (left), Callitriche spec. (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Leaves of Apiaceae: Helosciadium nodiflorum (left), simply pinnate; Chaerophyllum bulbosum (right), multiply pinnate

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Upper stem leaf of Angelica sylvestris (Apiaceae), with big leaf sheath

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
The typical compound umbel of Apiaceae (Laserpitium siler)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Details of Apiaceae inflorescences: first-order branching of the umbel in Conium maculatum (left), with involucral bracts; second-order branching = umbellule of Anthriscus sylvestris (right), with involucels

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flowers of Apiaceae: Caraway (Carum carvi, left); Dill (Anethum graveolens, right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Fruits of Apiaceae, from left to right: Anthriscus sylvestris, Carum carvi, Angelica sylvestris, Scandix pecten-veneris

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Leaves in Campanulaceae: almost linear in Campanula rotundifolia (left – the epithet rotundifolia refers to the basal rosett leaves only); cordate in Phyteuma spicatum (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Inflorescences in Campanulaceae: raceme in Campanula rapunculoides (left); spike in Phyteuma spicatum (center); head-like umbel in Jasione montana (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flowers of Campanula persicifolia; lateral view (left) and frontal view (right); stamens already wilted before opening of the flower

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flower of Lobelia erinus, frontal and lateral view

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Capsules in Campanulaceae: Campanula persicifolia (left), with distal pores in upright capsules; C. rapunculoides (right), with proximal pores in pendent capsules

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Leaves of Asteraceae: Scorzonera hispanica (left); Achillea millefolium (center); Cirsium dissectum (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Capitula of Asteraceae: Cichorium intybus (left), with ray florets only; Tripleurospermum maritimum (center), with ray florets and disk florets; Cirsium oleraceum (right), with disk florets only

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Closeup of the rim of a capitulum of Helianthus annuus (Asteraceae); spreading stigma branches visible in some florets in the foreground

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Longitudinal section of a capitulum of Leucanthemum vulgare (Asteraceae)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Florets of Leucanthemum vulgare: ray floret(left) and two disk florets, in male phase (center) and in female phase (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Fruiting capitulum of Senecio inaequidens (Asteraceae)
61-038 Biological Field Course in Botany
Kai Jensen, Angela Niebel-Lohmann, Jens Rohwer, Matthias Schultz
Biologists are expected to know their ways around in nature. Even in a city like Hamburg the diversity is much higher than most inhabitants are aware of. On small excursion (more like open air lectures) we show an explain the most frequent and conspicuous plant species in Hamburg, plus numerous less common species in the city and in near-natural habitats around Hamburg. We explain the living conditions in the areas visited, and sometimes make them physically tangible.

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Chickweed (Stellaria media): shoot tip with flower (left); shoot with the typical unilateral pubescence (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Common Hazelnut (Corylus avellana): inflorescences (left), mainly staminate catkins, plus one pistillate flower (at the upper margin); young shoot (center), with glandular trichomes; branch with immature fruit (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Crataegus monogyna: flowers (left); leaf with axillary spine (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Impatiens parviflora flower: frontal view (left) and lateral view (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Alnus glutinosa fen wood near Prisdorf, Germany

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Branch with inflorescences of the common oak (Quercus robur)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Hypericum perforatum leaf, backlight

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Wood-sorrel (Oxalis acetosella)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
On the big dune in the nature reserve Boberger Düne, Hamburg, Germany

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Deciduous forest with rich undergrowth near Prisdorf, Germany

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Herb-Paris (Paris quadrifolia), one of the few monocotyledons with net-veined leaves

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Heathland in the Boberger Düne nature reserve, Hamburg, Germany

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Nature reserve Schnakenmoor, Hamburg, Germany

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Immature fruits of Galium aparine

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Chickweed (Stellaria media): shoot tip with flower (left); shoot with the typical unilateral pubescence (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Common Hazelnut (Corylus avellana): inflorescences (left), mainly staminate catkins, plus one pistillate flower (at the upper margin); young shoot (center), with glandular trichomes; branch with immature fruit (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Crataegus monogyna: flowers (left); leaf with axillary spine (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Impatiens parviflora flower: frontal view (left) and lateral view (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Alnus glutinosa fen wood near Prisdorf, Germany

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Branch with inflorescences of the common oak (Quercus robur)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Hypericum perforatum leaf, backlight

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Wood-sorrel (Oxalis acetosella)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
On the big dune in the nature reserve Boberger Düne, Hamburg, Germany

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Deciduous forest with rich undergrowth near Prisdorf, Germany

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Herb-Paris (Paris quadrifolia), one of the few monocotyledons with net-veined leaves

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Heathland in the Boberger Düne nature reserve, Hamburg, Germany

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Nature reserve Schnakenmoor, Hamburg, Germany

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Immature fruits of Galium aparine

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Chickweed (Stellaria media): shoot tip with flower (left); shoot with the typical unilateral pubescence (right)
Field Course in the Alps
– due to lack of teaching capacity, we are no longer allowed to offer this unit –
- Contact: Angela Niebel-Lohmann
- Target groups: BSc Students in biology, 4th sem. (and onwards)., M.Ed. students
61-146 Seminar for the Field Course in the Alps
Angela Niebel-Lohmann
61-147 Field Course in the Alps (practical course)
Angela Niebel-Lohmann

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flowering cushion of Androsace alpina

Photo: UHH / Niebel-Lohmann
Campanula barbata

Photo: UHH / Niebel-Lohmann
Gaißbergferner

Photo: UHH / Niebel-Lohmann
Gentiana clusii

Photo: UHH / Niebel-Lohmann
Geum reptans

Photo: UHH / Niebel-Lohmann
...

Photo: UHH / Niebel-Lohmann
Blick von der Hohen Muth auf Gaißbergtal (links) und Rotmoostal (rechts)

Photo: UHH / Niebel-Lohmann
Kalmia procumbens

Photo: UHH/Niebel-Lohmann
Linaria alpina

Photo: UHH / Niebel-Lohmann
...

Photo: UHH / Niebel-Lohmann
Ranunculus glacialis

Photo: UHH / Niebel-Lohmann
Rhododendron ferrugineum

Photo: UHH / Niebel-Lohmann
Blick durch das Rotmoostal Richtung Rotmoosferner

Photo: UHH / Niebel-Lohmann
Saxifraga oppositifolia

Photo: UHH / Niebel-Lohmann
Participants of the field course in 2015

Photo: UHH / Niebel-Lohmann
...

Photo: UHH / Niebel-Lohmann
Blick zum Wasserferner

Photo: UHH / Niebel-Lohmann
Zirbenwald (Pinus cembra)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flowering cushion of Androsace alpina

Photo: UHH / Niebel-Lohmann
Campanula barbata

Photo: UHH / Niebel-Lohmann
Gaißbergferner

Photo: UHH / Niebel-Lohmann
Gentiana clusii

Photo: UHH / Niebel-Lohmann
Geum reptans

Photo: UHH / Niebel-Lohmann
...

Photo: UHH / Niebel-Lohmann
Blick von der Hohen Muth auf Gaißbergtal (links) und Rotmoostal (rechts)

Photo: UHH / Niebel-Lohmann
Kalmia procumbens

Photo: UHH/Niebel-Lohmann
Linaria alpina

Photo: UHH / Niebel-Lohmann
...

Photo: UHH / Niebel-Lohmann
Ranunculus glacialis

Photo: UHH / Niebel-Lohmann
Rhododendron ferrugineum

Photo: UHH / Niebel-Lohmann
Blick durch das Rotmoostal Richtung Rotmoosferner

Photo: UHH / Niebel-Lohmann
Saxifraga oppositifolia

Photo: UHH / Niebel-Lohmann
Participants of the field course in 2015

Photo: UHH / Niebel-Lohmann
...

Photo: UHH / Niebel-Lohmann
Blick zum Wasserferner

Photo: UHH / Niebel-Lohmann
Zirbenwald (Pinus cembra)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Flowering cushion of Androsace alpina
Introduction to Molecular Systematics
- Contact: Jens G. Rohwer
- Target group: BSc biology students, 5th semester
Macromolecular methods, particularly DNA sequencing, revolutionized systematics and population biology. They allow the reconstruction of relationships with unprecedented precision – but they also have their pitfalls. We guide you through all necessary steps from collecting of plant material to calculation of the most probable phylogenetic tree for the species investigated. Special emphasis is placed on the fundmental methods, their practical application, data analysis and possible sources of error. The different parts of this teaching unit are closely interlinked.
61-163 Introduction to Molecular Systematics (lecture)
Jens G. Rohwer
61-164 Lab work in Molecular Systematics (practical course)
Felicitas Gunter
61-165 Analysis of Sequence Data (exercise)
Jens G. Rohwer, Felicitas Gunter

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
The ABI 3500 capillary sequencer in our sequencing lab

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Thermocyclers in our PCR lab

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Screenshot of an alignment of DNA sequences with chromatograms

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Part of a phylogenetic tree (phylogram)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
The ABI 3500 capillary sequencer in our sequencing lab

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Thermocyclers in our PCR lab

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Screenshot of an alignment of DNA sequences with chromatograms

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Part of a phylogenetic tree (phylogram)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
The ABI 3500 capillary sequencer in our sequencing lab
Introduction to Plant Geography
- Contact: Jens G. Rohwer
- Target group: BSc biology students, 5th semester
61-173 Introduction to Plant Geography (lecture)
Jens G. Rohwer
This lecture presents an overview of the natural plant cover of the world. A short introduction to terminology and basic methods of floristics and vegetation science is followed by an overview of the floristic realms that can be recognized based on the distributions of certain plant groups. The main part of the lecture then consists of detailed descriptions of the main vegetation formations (e.g., tundra, desert, rainforest) and the conditions of life in these biomes, including climatic, edaphic and biotic factors. The lecture is richly illustrated, predominantly with photos by the lecturer.

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Tamarix sp. in a sandy desert in Tunisia

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Myristica fatua as example of Myristicaceae, a pantropical tree family

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Seedlings of the common beech (Fagus sylvatica), the most competitive tree in Central Europe on (moderately) fertile, neither too dry nor too wet soils

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Views of the interior of Canarian laurel forest; Anaga mountains, Tenerife

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
View of a cloud forest (on an exceptionally clear day); Mt. Kaala, Oahu, Hawaii

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Melocactus violaceus as example of Cactaceae, one of the typical plant families of the Neotropical floristic realm

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Eucalyptus globulus as example of one of the most important genera of the Australian flora

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Banksia integrifolia (Proteaceae) as example of a typical genus of Australian sclerophyll forest

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Hymenophyllum recurvum as example of Hymenophyllaceae, a typical family of (sub)tropical cloud forests; insert: sorus

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Silene acaulis as example of an arctic-alpine species with almost circumpolar distribution

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Desert with salt succulent plants, mainly Chenopodiaceae; Chott el Gharsa, Tunisia

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Schima argentea as example of Theaceae, one of the typical families of Asian laurel forests

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Mt. Kinabalu in early morning light; Sabah, Malaysia

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Uvaria macrophylla as example of Annonaceae, one of the large pantropical woody families

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Darmera peltata as example of Saxifragaceae, one of the typical holarctic plant families: inflorescence (left); leaves (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Vantanea minor (Humiriaceae, left) and Stegolepis spec. (Rapateaceae, right), as examples of two of the typical plant families of the Venezuelan-Guayanian floristic region

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Araucaria angustifolia forest, with laurel forest as second canopy stratum; near São Francisco de Paula, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Saxifraga aizoides (left) and S. oppositifolia (right), two arctic Saxifraga species

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
View of the Gran Sabana, Venezuela

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Bushland on white sand; near Linhares, Espírito Santo, Brazil

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Tree savanna (campo cerrado) near Rio Claro, São Paulo, Brazil

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Coastal redwood (Sequoia sempervirens): bole (left); tip of branch with young staminate cones (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Tropical seasonal forest near Caracas, Venezuela: dry season (left); same spot four weeks later after onset of the rainy season (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Rhamnus californica (Rhamnaceae) as example of one of the typical families of sclerophyll forests

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Fraxinus angustifolia as example of one of the charakteristic genera of northern temperate deciduous forests

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Braunsia apiculata as example of Aizoaceae, one of the typical plant families of the Cape floristic realm

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Mangrove vegetation, predominantly consisting of Sonneratia alba; near Cooktown, Queensland, Australia

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Nyssa as example of a genus disjunct between East Asia and eastern North America: N. sylvatica from North America (left); N. sinensis from China (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Raoulia subsericea (Asteraceae), a hard cushion plant from alpine New Zealand

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Pinus banksiana (left) and Picea glauca (right), two of the typical conifers of boreal North America

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Impatiens, one of the typical genera in the undergrowth of palaeotropical montane forests: I. arguta (left); I. kilimanjari (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Maytenus ilicifolia (Celastraceae) as example for one of the typical genera of laurel forests

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Lychnophora spec. in a tropical upland savanna (campo rupestre); Serra do Cipó, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Tillandsia strica as example of Bromeliaceae, one of the typical plant families of the Neotropical floristic realm

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Sanguinaria canadensis (Papaveraceae) from North America as example of an early blooming plant in temperate deciduous forests

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Subtropical alpine vegetation, Cañadas del Teide, Tenerife

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Alpine tundra above Obergurgl, Austria

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Linnaea borealis, a species with circumpolar distribution in the boreal zone

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Cedrus deodara, branch with staminate cones, as example of the characteristic genus of nemoral coniferous forests of the Old World

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Tropical rainforest in morning mist; Citalahab, Java, Indonesia

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Remnant of tidal riparian forest on the river Krückau near Elmshorn, Germany

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Alnus incana as example of Betulaceae, one of the typical holarctic plant families: staminate catkins (left); leaf (center); pistillate catkins (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Dryas octopetala, one of the most characteristic species of tundra vegetation

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Fallen fruits of Elaeocarpus angustifolius, one of the typical species of Australian laurel forests

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
View of the laurel forest at the Rota do Sol, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Some representatives of Dipterocarpaceae, the most important tree family in tropical and subtropical Asia: fruit of Dipterocarpus zeylanicus (left); habit of Parashorea chinensis (center); fruit of Shorea spec. (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Dampiera diversifolia as example of Goodeniaceae, one of the typical families of the Australian floristic realm

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Metrosideros polymorpha (Myrtaceae), the originally dominant tree species in Hawaii, before the introduction of alien competitors

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Euphorbia balsamifera as example of one of the typical genera of (semi-)arid regions of the Old World; in the dry season (left) and in the rainy season (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Inundated white sand savanna at the border between Venezuela and Colombia

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Grevillea coriacea (Proteaceae) in subhumid forest; Spear Creek, Queensland, Australia

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Tamarix sp. in a sandy desert in Tunisia

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Myristica fatua as example of Myristicaceae, a pantropical tree family

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Seedlings of the common beech (Fagus sylvatica), the most competitive tree in Central Europe on (moderately) fertile, neither too dry nor too wet soils

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Views of the interior of Canarian laurel forest; Anaga mountains, Tenerife

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
View of a cloud forest (on an exceptionally clear day); Mt. Kaala, Oahu, Hawaii

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Melocactus violaceus as example of Cactaceae, one of the typical plant families of the Neotropical floristic realm

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Eucalyptus globulus as example of one of the most important genera of the Australian flora

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Banksia integrifolia (Proteaceae) as example of a typical genus of Australian sclerophyll forest

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Hymenophyllum recurvum as example of Hymenophyllaceae, a typical family of (sub)tropical cloud forests; insert: sorus

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Silene acaulis as example of an arctic-alpine species with almost circumpolar distribution

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Desert with salt succulent plants, mainly Chenopodiaceae; Chott el Gharsa, Tunisia

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Schima argentea as example of Theaceae, one of the typical families of Asian laurel forests

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Mt. Kinabalu in early morning light; Sabah, Malaysia

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Uvaria macrophylla as example of Annonaceae, one of the large pantropical woody families

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Darmera peltata as example of Saxifragaceae, one of the typical holarctic plant families: inflorescence (left); leaves (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Vantanea minor (Humiriaceae, left) and Stegolepis spec. (Rapateaceae, right), as examples of two of the typical plant families of the Venezuelan-Guayanian floristic region

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Araucaria angustifolia forest, with laurel forest as second canopy stratum; near São Francisco de Paula, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Saxifraga aizoides (left) and S. oppositifolia (right), two arctic Saxifraga species

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
View of the Gran Sabana, Venezuela

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Bushland on white sand; near Linhares, Espírito Santo, Brazil

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Tree savanna (campo cerrado) near Rio Claro, São Paulo, Brazil

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Coastal redwood (Sequoia sempervirens): bole (left); tip of branch with young staminate cones (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Tropical seasonal forest near Caracas, Venezuela: dry season (left); same spot four weeks later after onset of the rainy season (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Rhamnus californica (Rhamnaceae) as example of one of the typical families of sclerophyll forests

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Fraxinus angustifolia as example of one of the charakteristic genera of northern temperate deciduous forests

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Braunsia apiculata as example of Aizoaceae, one of the typical plant families of the Cape floristic realm

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Mangrove vegetation, predominantly consisting of Sonneratia alba; near Cooktown, Queensland, Australia

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Nyssa as example of a genus disjunct between East Asia and eastern North America: N. sylvatica from North America (left); N. sinensis from China (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Raoulia subsericea (Asteraceae), a hard cushion plant from alpine New Zealand

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Pinus banksiana (left) and Picea glauca (right), two of the typical conifers of boreal North America

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Impatiens, one of the typical genera in the undergrowth of palaeotropical montane forests: I. arguta (left); I. kilimanjari (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Maytenus ilicifolia (Celastraceae) as example for one of the typical genera of laurel forests

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Lychnophora spec. in a tropical upland savanna (campo rupestre); Serra do Cipó, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Tillandsia strica as example of Bromeliaceae, one of the typical plant families of the Neotropical floristic realm

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Sanguinaria canadensis (Papaveraceae) from North America as example of an early blooming plant in temperate deciduous forests

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Subtropical alpine vegetation, Cañadas del Teide, Tenerife

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Alpine tundra above Obergurgl, Austria

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Linnaea borealis, a species with circumpolar distribution in the boreal zone

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Cedrus deodara, branch with staminate cones, as example of the characteristic genus of nemoral coniferous forests of the Old World

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Tropical rainforest in morning mist; Citalahab, Java, Indonesia

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Remnant of tidal riparian forest on the river Krückau near Elmshorn, Germany

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Alnus incana as example of Betulaceae, one of the typical holarctic plant families: staminate catkins (left); leaf (center); pistillate catkins (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Dryas octopetala, one of the most characteristic species of tundra vegetation

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Fallen fruits of Elaeocarpus angustifolius, one of the typical species of Australian laurel forests

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
View of the laurel forest at the Rota do Sol, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Some representatives of Dipterocarpaceae, the most important tree family in tropical and subtropical Asia: fruit of Dipterocarpus zeylanicus (left); habit of Parashorea chinensis (center); fruit of Shorea spec. (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Dampiera diversifolia as example of Goodeniaceae, one of the typical families of the Australian floristic realm

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Metrosideros polymorpha (Myrtaceae), the originally dominant tree species in Hawaii, before the introduction of alien competitors

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Euphorbia balsamifera as example of one of the typical genera of (semi-)arid regions of the Old World; in the dry season (left) and in the rainy season (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Inundated white sand savanna at the border between Venezuela and Colombia

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Grevillea coriacea (Proteaceae) in subhumid forest; Spear Creek, Queensland, Australia

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Tamarix sp. in a sandy desert in Tunisia
Functional Morphology of Plants
- Contact: Stefan Rust
- Target group: BSc biology students, 3rd semester
61-024 Fundamentals of Botany (practical course)
Kristin Ludewig, Angela Niebel-Lohmann, Stefan Rust, Klaus von Schwartzenberg, Anna Voggenreiter-Sander
The external appearance of plants is more or less familiar to most people, much less their internal structures. The question why these structures look the way they do can throw new light upon the seemingly self-evident. In the teaching unit ‘Functional Morphology of Plants’ we examine the challenges for plant life on land and the evolutionary “inventions” that helped to master these challenges, based on selected examples. In the context of structure and function we get to know the morphology and anatomy of the fundamental organs of higher land plants, in order to acquire the foundation for a physiological comprehension of these organisms.

Photo: UHH/Niebel-Lohmann
Zea mays, stem, cross section, outer layers with closed collateral vascular bundles

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Light microscope photo of a cross section of a leaf of Ruellia makoyana

Photo: UHH/Niebel-Lohmann
Allium cepa, root tip, longitudinal section

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Light microscope photo of glandular hairs on the upper leaf surface of Salvia

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Light microscope photo of a cross section of a stem of Tradescantia, outer layers, with plate collenchyma and a stoma

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Light microscope photo of a cross section of the aerial root of an orchid (Encyclia spec.), central cylinder, stained with phloroglucin/HCl; endodermis and xylem red, cortex parenchyma, passage cells and phloem unstained

Photo: UHH/Niebel-Lohmann
Ranunculus repens, young root, cross section

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Photos of germinated maize grains (Zea mays): basal part (left), primary root still preserved, with secondary roots; different stages of germination (center); tip of coleoptile perforated by the primary leaf (right)

Photo: UHH/Niebel-Lohmann
Aristolochia macrophylla, young stem, cross section, with incipient development of an intervascular cambium

Photo: UHH/Niebel-Lohmann
Zea mays, stem, cross section, outer layers with closed collateral vascular bundles

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Light microscope photo of a cross section of a leaf of Ruellia makoyana

Photo: UHH/Niebel-Lohmann
Allium cepa, root tip, longitudinal section

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Light microscope photo of glandular hairs on the upper leaf surface of Salvia

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Light microscope photo of a cross section of a stem of Tradescantia, outer layers, with plate collenchyma and a stoma

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Light microscope photo of a cross section of the aerial root of an orchid (Encyclia spec.), central cylinder, stained with phloroglucin/HCl; endodermis and xylem red, cortex parenchyma, passage cells and phloem unstained

Photo: UHH/Niebel-Lohmann
Ranunculus repens, young root, cross section

Photo: UHH/Rohwer
Photos of germinated maize grains (Zea mays): basal part (left), primary root still preserved, with secondary roots; different stages of germination (center); tip of coleoptile perforated by the primary leaf (right)

Photo: UHH/Niebel-Lohmann
Aristolochia macrophylla, young stem, cross section, with incipient development of an intervascular cambium

Photo: UHH/Niebel-Lohmann
Zea mays, stem, cross section, outer layers with closed collateral vascular bundles