Plant Defense Systems & Medicinal Botany

I. Herbivory Defenses Plant defenses against herbivores Morphological defenses against herbivory Plant synthesis of secondary biochemicals used in herbivory and microbial defense as well as competition with other plants Alkaloids Phenols Terpenes   Impact of herbivory on plants: when defenses are impaired

III. Medicinal Phytochemistry Introduction from the european perspective: How potent are the plant defenses for human use? Examples of plants and their medicinal properties Illusttrated Primer written by former students on uses of specific plants for medicinal botany

II. Competition & Microbial Defenses Specific examples of how these same biochemicals and others work on organisms that create plant diseases ( microbes) and to reduce competition from other plants.... Alleochemicals: compounds produced by plants which inhibit the growth of other plants Micobial defenses or how plants fight illnesses: means for plants to defend themselves against fungi, bacteria and other microbes.