BOTANICAL UNIVERSITY CHALLENGE 2016 This is the brain-child of Dr M (School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading) John Warren (IBERS, University of Aberystwyth), and Paul Ashton (Edge Hill). The first ever Botanical University Challenge Will take place at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, hosted by James Wong, 2 pm Thursday 10th March 2016 Jodrell Lecture Theatre (Jodrell Laboratory building) TW9 3DS. Preview: Try your luck –
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OK, Christmas stockings have been well and truly emptied now, so Dr M browses the library shelves for New Year botany gifts. If it’s plant ID books you are looking for then check Dr M’s review here. If its botany of the more literary and philosophical variety then read on! First up is “From Roots to Riches” the book of the landmark BBC radio
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YOUR STARTER FOR TEN: Haver you ever wished Paxman would ask more botany questions on University Challenge? Well, here’s the answer: Dr M and colleagues John Warren (Aberystwyth) and Paul Ashton (Edge Hill) have masterminded a brand new botanical concept for 2016: Botanical University Challenge! A botanical version of the ever popular BBC formula which will be hosted by James Wong at the Royal Botanic
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So did you try Dr M’s autumn fruits quiz? If not, the link is here go and have a go! Then check back for the answers (below). Dr M promised to give family, genus, species, common English name AND the botanical term for each fruit for there is a complex taxonomy and associated terminology for the humble fruit: you need to know your nuts
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The clocks have gone back, autumnal colour delights the eye and the smells of autumn abound! High time then for the latest in Dr M’s special series of botany quizzes – the autumn fruit quiz! 2015 seems to have been an excellent year for autumn fruits of a myriad varieties and so here for your autumnal delight and delectation Dr M has lovingly and selflessly gathered
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It was only week two of the new academic term but that didn’t stop Dr M launching his new students on the University of Reading twin MSc’s Plant Diversity and SISS into an eXtreme botanical quiz! If you missed it stop now and go check it out here, then come back and check below for the answers! The answers: 1. Dangly ball-like fruit of London Plane, Platanus x hispanica.
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So once again a new botanical term has dawned and Dr M’s eager new MSc students (pictured above) have arrived at the University of Reading to study on the twin MSc’s: Plant Diversity and SISS. And from the four corners of the globe they come, well to be precise from Britain, Ireland, Brazil, China, France and Saudi Arabia, not bad going though! They were
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OK, Listen up plant lovers and botanophiles alike! Stuff like this really doesn’t happen that often, I mean, when did you last have a chance to attend a Dr M Botanical course? Like never, or at least oh so rarely! We are talking hen’s teeth, we really are! So, come on down to London town and join the botanical love and joy at Dr M’s
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Have you tried Dr M’s spot test from the BES/EFL workshop in Hyde Park? If not check it out here have a go then come back for the answers! Check the pictures against the answers below, give yourself 2 marks if you got the answer correct. If you didn’t quite get the answer correct but were part way there you can still get a mark,
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Recently Dr M and colleague Alastair Culham gave a presentation on creative approaches to teaching plant ID to the BES/EFL workshop in Hyde Park – as Alastair Culham has said in his account of this event (here), “…the audience didn’t know what hit them – two plant ID tests in 30 minutes!” Regular visitors will already know this and you can see Dr M’s summary here.
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