Multi-Use of the Campus Environment in the Teaching of Botany

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science1974 Multi-Use of the Campus Environment in the Teaching of Botany Jewel E.. 1974 "Multi-Use of the Campus Environment in the Teaching of Botany

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

1974

Multi-Use of the Campus Environment in the

Teaching of Botany

Jewel E Moore

University of Central Arkansas

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Recommended Citation

Moore, Jewel E (1974) "Multi-Use of the Campus Environment in the Teaching of Botany," Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science:

Vol 28 , Article 17

Available at:http://scholarworks.uark.edu/jaas/vol28/iss1/17

Arkansas Academy of Science Proceedings, Vol.XXVIII,1974

JEWEL E.MOORE

Biology Department, UniversityofCentralArkansas, Conway,Arkansas 72032

ABSTRACT Use of the campus environment in the teaching program is described with special

reference to the campus ofUniversityof Central Arkansas Permanent labelsidentifythe campus trees, many of which are representative of native Arkansas trees ADaylily Display Bed andanIrisDisplay Bed,bothcomposed ofhybridvarieties,areincluded in the campus design Thisorganization of the flora of the campus provides a community service

as wellas anoutdoor supplement to the classroom studies inplant science

The concept of using the campus environment in the

teaching-learning experience has always been part of the

teaching philosophy of certain biologists Those ofus who

adhere tothisconcept have continuallyutilized the campus as

part of the laboratory experiences forourstudents We have

known that certainaspects ofplanttaxonomy, physiology and

ecology could betaught best in the outdoor environment, and

that the study of the soil and climatic factors which influence

plant growth becomes more meaningful with first-hand

observations However,acampus environment canbe used in

many fieldexperiences in addition to these more traditional

ones when the multi-use concept has been followed in

developing the campus (J.E.Moore,1973) Thedesignation of

theUniversity of Central Arkansas campus as a Campus

Arboretum is another stepindeveloping the multi-use concept

thereand, hence,moreof the total campus environment canbe

used intheteaching ofbotany.Attentioncanbe focused onthe

campus ecosystem for both students and visitors without

diminishing either the appreciation for the cultivated plants

used inlandscaping the buildings orthe interest in thedisplay

beds onthe campus

At the 12 December 1973 meeting of theUniversityof

Cen-tral Arkansas Board ofTrustees, theCampus Arboretum plan

was approved Permanent labels are being supplied bythe

Faulkner County Conservation District andaretobeplacedon

treesonthe frontpartofthe campus bymembers of thebotany

classes Both scientific andcommon names willbe used onthe

labels Most of theseplantsare native toArkansas and are a

goodrepresentation of the trees native tothe Arkansas River

Valley ofthestate, asindicated bythe list in Table I.Because

this project does not require immediate completion in the

development of the Campus Arboretum could be carried out

withbotany classes in the future Perhaps labels willbeplaced

on additional trees by these students, or guides might be

prepared foruse of the Campus Arboretum byother classes

and made available for them through the Vertical File in the

library Some classes might become inspiredtoplantspecies of

treesnotnow growing onthe campus, but whichareindicative

of thisarea of Arkansas and are important enough tobe

included in such a Campus Arboretum The Campus

Woody Plants of Arkansas, another aspect of the field

experiences of thebotany classes

The Herbarium of the Woody Plants of Arkansas is a

collection ofspecimens made by students using acceptable

taxonomic procedures, withemphasis onhabitat descriptions

andcountylocations Itis housed in theBotany Laboratory and

is available for use by all interested persons Maps for

their homecounty records to the herbarium The minimum

goal in connection with this collection is tohave specimens

available ofalltrees listed in Trees ofArkansas (D.M Moore,

1972).The ultimate aim istohavesamples of all nativewoody plants in this herbarium

Inrecent summers, the study ofpractical genetics has been included in thelaboratory experiences onthe campus by use of plants in the Hemerocallis Display Bed for hybridization purposes The Arkansas Hemerocallis Society established this

display bed in 1965 as a state project, with 102 plants

contributed by hybridizers from Missouri, Alabama, Florida and Arkansas and especially by members of the Conway Hemerocallis Society(TableII).The late Mrs W.C Clifford

Thompson, atthat timepresidentof thestate society, knew of such display beds on other college campuses, such as the

University ofKentucky, Clemson University and Oklahoma Table I List of Trees on Which Permanent Labels Will be Placed by BotanyClass atUniversityofCentral Arkansas Scientific Name Common Name Pinus echinata Mill Shortleaf Pine

Ginkgobiloba L.* Ginkgo

Ulmus americana L American Elm Ulmus alata Michx Winged Elm Celtislaevigata Willd Sugarberry

Liriodendron tulipifera L.* Tuliptree

Liquidambarstyraciflua L Sweetgum Platanus occidentalis L American Sycamore

Prunus serotina Ehrh BlackCherry

Cercis canadensis L Eastern Redbud Gk'ditsia triacanthos L Honeylocust

Acer saccharum Marsh Sugar Maple

Acer rubrumL RedMaple

Acer succharinum L SilverMaple

Cornus floridaL Flowering Dogwood Nyssa sylvatica Marsh Blackgum

Fraxinus pennsyhanica Marsh Green Ash

Catalpa speciosa Warder Northern Catalpa

*A11thetrees except Ginkgoand Liriodendronarenativetothe Arkansas RiverValley.Ginkgoisanimportantcultivated plant and Liriodendron is nativetotheCrowley's Ridgearea of the

state.

45 Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science, Vol 28 [1974], Art 17

Published by Arkansas Academy of Science, 1974

>

i

Arkansas Academy of Science Proceedings, Vol XXVIII,1974

46

Jewel E Moore

StateUniversity,and realized that the establishment of such a

garden on some college campus in Arkansas would be helpful

inspreading the interest fordaylilies In 1969, because of

changes in the streets onthe campus, the display beds were

moved New beds wereestablished between the Silas D Snow

Fine Arts Center and the W C.Ferguson Chapel (Thompson,

bed for the Arkansas Hemerocallis Society; presently there are

plans to addsome newer varieties to this bed The botany

students have established new daylilybeds (threebeds 30x1m)

in front of the B.A Lewis Science Center, using manyof the

plants which werethe results of the hybridization done by

former classes ofstudents Some listed named varieties, such as

PartyDoll,Wedding Ring, Heart Throb, Pink-eyed Susan and

Arkansas Maid,arein thesebeds, butmost of theplants have

been produced bystudents These seedlings have not been

listed with the American Hemerocallis Society, but to the

students who did the hybridizing they are among the most

beautiful daylilies growing anywhere

Interest in theDaylily Display Bed sparked the

establish-ment ofanIrisDisplay Bed.Botany students haveplaced this

bed in front of the B.A Lewis Science Center, using named

varieties of iris supplied bylocal persons (TableHI).The

practical experience gained here added interest tothestudy of

plants bythose students who chose tobecome involved in this

project

Those ofuswhoareprofessional botanists and those whouse

botany as arelaxing, educational hobby canprobably see an

extensive list of other aspects to the development of the

multi-use concept on acollege campus but it willbenecessary

tosparkthe interest of thebotanystudent to want tobecome

involved in the project The future implementation of the

multi-use concept on the University of Central Arkansas

campus is dependent upon the inspiration, energy and

involvement of thebotany students Itistobehopedthat these

students willrespond and that this involvement will extend

beyondtheircollegedays.Atanyrate,amulti-use campus does

give the beginningbotany studentimportant fieldexperiences

Table II Some Named Varieties of Daylily Planted in University of Central Arkansas Display Bed in 1965 by

Arkansas Hemerocallis Society

Christopher Robin

Drops of Gold

EmilyBrown

Quixotic

Golden West Carolina Rose TropicalFruit LittleEmily

King's Ransom Fire and Ice

Incomparable

Summer Interlude Koffee Klatch Sheer Delight Osage Chief CalicoQueen

Jake Russel Painted Lady Hong Kong

Timbo

Grecian Gift Dream Waltz Black Prince Crimson Pirate Table III.Some Named Varieties of Iris inUniversity of Central Arkansas DisplayBed Set Out inSpring1973

Evenglow

Golden Crown

Techney Chimes CloudCap

Helen Collinwood

Gay Paree

Fire Dance Whole Cloth

Inca Chief

July Beauty

Queen's Lace Port Wine

Spring Romance

MulberryRose

Cloth ofGold

My Darling

ArgusPheasant

Surprise Party

LITERATURE CITED MOORE, DWIGHT M 1972 Trees of Arkansas Third revised edition Arkansas Forestry Commission, Little

Rock,Arkansas

MOORE, JEWEL E 1973 Natural areas and reference collections for environmental education insome Arkansas schools Proc Ark Acad Sci 27:35-37

THOMPSON, MRS W CLIFFORD 1969 Newsletter to

Arkansas Hemerocallis Society

46

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science, Vol 28 [1974], Art 17

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