The Botanist's Eye: Identifying the Plants around You

Watch The Botanist's Eye: Identifying the Plants around You

  • TV-PG
  • 2020
  • 1 Season

The Botanist's Eye: Identifying the Plants around You is an engaging educational show from The Great Courses Signature Collection that takes viewers on a journey into the amazing world of plants. The show stars the talented and knowledgeable botanist, Catherine Kleier, who shares her passion and love for plants with viewers.

Throughout the series, Kleier provides a wealth of information about different plant species and their characteristics, from the roots to the leaves, flowers, and fruits. She teaches viewers how to identify plants using their unique features and characteristics, including their growth habits, colors, shapes, textures, and smells.

The Botanist's Eye starts by exploring the basics of plant anatomy, from the different types of roots, stems, and leaves to the reproductive structures such as flowers and fruit. Kleier shares fascinating insights into how plants grow, survive, and reproduce through their various adaptations and strategies.

One of the unique features of the show is that Kleier presents her lessons in an immersive way, using beautiful animations, graphics, and real-life examples to help viewers understand complex concepts easily. She also invites viewers to go outdoors and explore their surroundings to discover the plants around them.

With her positive and upbeat teaching style, Kleier inspires viewers to appreciate plants and their role in the environment. She explains how plants provide us with food, oxygen, medicine, and beauty, and also help prevent soil erosion and climate change.

As the show progresses, Kleier dives deeper into the world of plants, exploring the amazing diversity of plant species, from carnivorous plants to cacti, mosses, and ferns. Viewers will learn how to identify different plant families, such as the rose family or the legume family, and what makes them unique.

The Botanist's Eye also covers the history of plant explorations, from the early plant hunters who traveled the globe looking for new species to the modern-day DNA researchers who try to understand the genetic makeup of plants. Kleier demonstrates how technology can help us identify and classify plants, and how citizen scientists can contribute to scientific research.

Throughout the series, Kleier offers practical advice on gardening, including how to select the right plants for different environments, how to care for plants, and how to prevent pests and diseases. She also shares her tips on using plant-based remedies and making natural dyes and food.

Overall, The Botanist's Eye: Identifying the Plants around You is an engaging and informative show that will appeal to anyone interested in nature, plants, or gardening. With its beautiful visuals, lively narration, and hands-on approach, the show makes learning about plants fun and accessible for all ages. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced gardener, this show is sure to inspire you to explore the fascinating world of plants around you.

The Botanist's Eye: Identifying the Plants around You is a series that ran for 1 seasons (24 episodes) between November 27, 2020 and on The Great Courses Signature Collection

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Seasons
Now You See Plants
24. Now You See Plants
November 27, 2020
To conclude the series, Professor Kleier gives you a brief review of 20 plant families: 10 of the most speciose and 10 she considers just as important. Then, she offers her insights on the future of botany and how new genetic evidence could change how we identify certain plants.
Parsley Eudicots: Plants with Umbels
23. Parsley Eudicots: Plants with Umbels
November 27, 2020
Examine a family of plants (known for their compound umbel inflorescences and hollow stems) that include a great many herbs and spices (coriander, cumin, cilantro, dill anise, and fennel) as well as some very toxic plants including poison hemlock. Also, consider examples from the ginseng family and the honeysuckle family.
Sunflower Eudicots: More than You Think
22. Sunflower Eudicots: More than You Think
November 27, 2020
What makes a weed a weed? Turns out, it's not a botanical term at all. It's just the name for plants that grow where they're not wanted. In this episode, you'll meet two families: the bell-flower family, or the Campanulaceae; and the sunflower family, or Asteraceae, which includes everyone's favorite weed, dandelion.
Minty Eudicots with Liplike Flowers
21. Minty Eudicots with Liplike Flowers
November 27, 2020
In this episode that focuses on liplike flowers, Professor Kleier introduces you to one of the easiest plant families to identify (the Lamiaceae, or mints) and one of the hardest: the Plantaginaceae, or plantain family. Plus, explore an intriguing plant family, the Orobanchaceae, whose plants are partly (if not all) parasitic.
Tomato-Type Eudicots
20. Tomato-Type Eudicots
November 27, 2020
Most of the plants you'll meet in this episode are herbaceous and have petals joined at the base. They are the Solanaceae, or nightshade family (which includes tomatoes and peppers); the Convolvulaceae family, whose members are usually vines; and the Boraginaceae, whose generally hairy members include the forget-me-nots.
Gentian Eudicots from Milkweed to Coffee
19. Gentian Eudicots from Milkweed to Coffee
November 27, 2020
First, take a closer look at the milkweeds and dogbanes of the Apocynaceae family, known for their opposite leaves and milk sap. Second, learn about the Rubiaceae family, which gives us gardenias, quinine, and coffee. Lastly, consider the beautiful blue gentians in the Gentianaceae family: some of the only true-blue plants around.
Heath and Dogwood Eudicots
18. Heath and Dogwood Eudicots
November 27, 2020
Which plant genus produces berries that are almost all edible? What relationship exists between roses and rhododendrons (Greek for "rose tree")? How can you determine whether or not a tree or shrub belongs to the dogwood family? Discover answers to these and other questions about heath and dogwood eudicots.
Pink Eudicots: Pinks, Cacti, and Relatives
17. Pink Eudicots: Pinks, Cacti, and Relatives
November 27, 2020
In this episode, learn the easiest way to recognize a carnation in the wild (hint: look at the leaves); gain a greater appreciation for the humble tumbleweed (also known as the Russian thistle); and explore the cactus family, with their iconic modified leaves (botanically called spines) and smaller bristles (called glochids).
Brassica Eudicots: The Mustards
16. Brassica Eudicots: The Mustards
November 27, 2020
Why learn to recognize the Brassicaceae? Because, as you'll learn, it's the sixth largest family in North America, including around 650 species. And one of them, Brassica oleracea, has been cultivated into kale, collard greens, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, red and white cabbage, Chinese broccoli, and other delicious vegetables.
Eudicots: Maples, Cashews, and Chocolate
15. Eudicots: Maples, Cashews, and Chocolate
November 27, 2020
Meet five plant families that are mixed in terms of woody and herbaceous members. Begin with the Sapindaceae, which in addition to maples, includes lychee. Continue with the cashew family, the Anacardiaceae; the Malvaceae, the mallow family, which includes hibiscus, cotton, and chocolate; and the Geraniaceae, or the geranium family.
Eudicots: Squashes, Oaks, and Birches
14. Eudicots: Squashes, Oaks, and Birches
November 27, 2020
In this episode, look at the Cucurbitaceae, the cucumber and gourd family, and the Fagaceae, the oak family, both of which are defined by their fruit types. Also consider three families closely related to oaks: the walnut family (Juglandaceae), the birch family (Betulaceae), and the "she-oaks" common to tropical beaches (Casuarinaceae).
Rose Eudicots: Roses, Mulberries, and Elms
13. Rose Eudicots: Roses, Mulberries, and Elms
November 27, 2020
The economically important rose family produces many tree fruits, including cherries, plums, apricots, nectarines, peaches, and almonds. Here, explore the rose family, the Rosaceae and some closely related families: the Moraceae, the mulberry or fig family; the Ulmaceae, or elm family; and the Cannabaceae, the hemp, hops, and hackberry family.
Eudicots: Peas and Beans
12. Eudicots: Peas and Beans
November 27, 2020
The Fabaceae family is so diverse and so prevalent in the Northern Hemisphere that it deserves its own episode. Home to important crops such as soybeans, green beans, peas, and alfalfa, this fabulous family is easily recognized by the "wings, banner, and keel" arrangement of the flowers.
Eudicots: Crassula, Euphorbs, and Willows
11. Eudicots: Crassula, Euphorbs, and Willows
November 27, 2020
You've already met some succulents in the Asperagaceae family, which includes agaves. Here, meet two other families that include succulents, the Crassulaceae and the Euphorbiaceae, and some other plant families that decidedly don't include succulents but are related: Saxifragaceae, Violaceae, and Salicaceae.
Early Eudicots: Buttercups and Poppies
10. Early Eudicots: Buttercups and Poppies
November 27, 2020
Now, enter the largest group of flowering plants: the eudicots, which all form a good group because they all have a similar pollen structure. Professor Kleier discusses three families (Ranunculaceae, Berberidaceae, and Papaveraceae) and also shares the floral diagrams and formulas botanists use to remember plant family characteristics.
Grassy Monocots: Grasses and Relatives
9. Grassy Monocots: Grasses and Relatives
November 27, 2020
The grasses, or Poaceae, are fairly easy to recognize, but are rather difficult to break down into individual species. There are four families you'll learn about in this episode: three which look superficially like grasses (rushes, sedges, and cattails), and the Bromeliaceae, or the pineapple family.
Monocots: Orchids, Asparagus, and Irises
8. Monocots: Orchids, Asparagus, and Irises
November 27, 2020
Continue your look at monocots with an episode on four more plant families: the Orchidaceae (the second largest family of flowering plants); the Asparagaceae (which does include asparagus as well as agave plants); the Amaryllidaceae (which includes daffodils and paper whites); and the iris family, or Iridaceae.
Parts of Three: The Monocots
7. Parts of Three: The Monocots
November 27, 2020
In this episode, investigate monocot plants, which grow from bulbs and tend to bloom early in the spring. You'll cover the Easter lilies of the Liliaceae family, the purple heart of the Commelinaceae family, the corpse flower of the Araceae family, and the Arecaceae (or Palmae) family with its instantly recognizable palm trees.
What the Terms Monocot, Dicot, and Eudicot Tell You
6. What the Terms Monocot, Dicot, and Eudicot Tell You
November 27, 2020
Embark on your in-depth exploration of the major plant families. First, learn to recognize the difference between monocots and eudicots. Then, explore the most ancient plant family in North America and four basal angiosperms. Among the plants you'll encounter are: water lilies, magnolia trees, pawpaws, and avocado trees.
The Language of Botany
5. The Language of Botany
November 27, 2020
From roots and stems to leaf hairs and fruits, learn to determine the parts of plants so you can make your own identifications in the field. What are the two main types of root systems? What are the most common leaf arrangements? What are the three different symmetry types for flowers?
Organizing the Huge Diversity of Plants
4. Organizing the Huge Diversity of Plants
November 27, 2020
Professor Kleier helps you to make sense of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (APG), which botanists now use to classify flowering plants. You'll learn how APG came about, what it does, and why it's so important to field botanists. Then you'll explore the six guiding principles for naming a plant species.
Plants Are Named like People
3. Plants Are Named like People
November 27, 2020
Dive into the many classification systems botanists used (and still use) to name plants. Among these are the binomial system popularized by Carl Linnaeus; the phenetic classification system, which aimed at revealing relationships based on shared characteristics; and the three ways botanists determine the ancestral traits of plants.
Before There Were Flowers
2. Before There Were Flowers
November 27, 2020
Non-flowering plants have been on Earth longer than plants with flowers. Here, start with mosses, liverworts, and hornworts. Then turn to ferns and fern allies and discover tried-and-true methods for identifying them. Lastly, consider several phyla of gymnosperms and their species, including the Gingko tree.
Why Learn the Names of Plants?
1. Why Learn the Names of Plants?
November 27, 2020
Knowing how to name plants can help you develop a better relationship with the outdoors. In this introductory episode, get a brief overview of how life is divided and classified, walk through an example of taxonomy using a ponderosa pine tree, and consider helpful tools every good casual botanist may need. #Science & Mathematics
Description
Where to Watch The Botanist's Eye: Identifying the Plants around You
The Botanist's Eye: Identifying the Plants around You is available for streaming on the The Great Courses Signature Collection website, both individual episodes and full seasons. You can also watch The Botanist's Eye: Identifying the Plants around You on demand at Amazon Prime and Amazon.
  • Premiere Date
    November 27, 2020
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