Illustration of Plant Diversity

Margot Bergstrom

Biological illustration is a crucial component of scientific research. An explanation of an organism or plant can be very detailed, but a picture is worth a thousand words. Biological and medical illustration is used widely in scientific literature and textbooks to reinforce and enhance comprehension of the material. Scientific problems are associated with biological illustration. Taxonomic manuals are useful for detailed descriptions of organisms so evolutionary relationships can be determined. However, the branching diagram showing the pattern of shared characteristics among a group of plants can be much easier to understand visually than verbally through a lengthy article. Illustrations are also very useful in taxonomy because they can demonstrate the key morphological and life cycle features. Many taxonomic manuals are accompanied by drawings depicting these features and are used in identification. In this project, I will be creating illustrations for a new lab manual for the course Plant Diversity.